Shattered Innocence
by Veema
Summary: COMPLETED! Nominated for three awards. Rin turns into a half demon adult thanks to Naraku. Now her demon blood calls to her. Now she must choose between her new found feelings for Sesshoumaru and the seduction of her Clan.
1. Chapter 1: Tainted

Shattered Innocence

Chapter 1

She was numb. She couldn't move and could not feel anything, not the wind on her face, not the dust on her feet, and not even the tears that stained her face. She was unaware that tears had formed in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. All she knew that she was alone, and she had been living on a lie. _'He didn't come for me.' _She thought.

She tried to open her eyes, and at first could not. Then with much effort, she was able to, but everything within her sight was a blur. _'Why...' _Tears continued to roll down her cheeks as the loneness overwhelmed her. '_He left me. He didn't come for me.'_

She put her head down in defeat and pain. She was alone. She had never thought that she would be again. She always had faith that he would come back to her, even though he left time to time. He always came back, but now it was different. She waited and it seemed like an eternity and now she was alone. _'Lord Sesshoumaru didn't come.'_

"The girl is ready, Naraku" said a woman's voice quietly. "I am half way finished with my process." Just moments ago, the woman, this demon female, was old. She was not a wrinkled prune, but was undeniably old. Now, she was younger and felt stronger. Her demonic power had increased greatly from before. She smiled as she gazed upon her source. _'If it was not for this jewel, I would not have been able to eat the girls youth.'_ She looked over at the girl that Naraku had brought to her, and she was indeed different. She was a small child less than an hour ago, and her body had taken a dramatic change.

The demon frowned. _'I should have just taken all of her youth. Then I would have been much stronger.' _She looked over to Naraku, who had a devilish smirk on his face. _'But that was against his wishes. Oh well.' _Luckily the girl had not switched positions with the demon. She was not old, she was not a child, but she was definitely still young in the eyes of the old and any demon. She was in her prime. Although she had been missing for only two hours, her body had changed from a child, to an 18 year old, and she was the only one not aware that she had been missing for such a short amount of time.

_'I thought I could trust you.'_ She thought.

"Well done" Naraku said. "You have fulfilled the most part. You will indeed keep the jewel, if you can finish the job, Toashiki."

Toashiki just laughed lightly. "Just you wait Naraku, you will be pleased with the results you see."

Naraku's next plan of destruction was just about to occur. Inuyasha would be dead and a new grudge would begin to form between two of his enemies. _'Sesshoumaru, how will you feel when your brother slays Rin, or if how things go how I'm hoping, she does what you could not and she kills Inuyasha?'_

Rin was beginning to feel once again and felt the touch of Toashiki's hands pull her from a demonic tree that had roughly wrapped its limbs around her. She wanted to run away from Toashiki as soon as she felt her now soft hands, but she did not have that much strength. _'How could you not come for me Lord Sesshoumaru?' _She was in pain as Toashiki dragged her body across to the ground to a place where Rin still could not see.

"Listen girl" she practically hissed "after this, you shall never be the same. You are lucky to be alive right now." She smiled as she held Rin over a pond. It wasn't a normal pond either. It was not even filled with water. It was filled with a demonic aura that was so thick it was a liquid ready to drag Rin down and strangle her until she drowned.

Rin's eye sight slowly returned and although it was hard to see her reflection in the water, she was able to make it out enough to know that the face that she once knew was gone. _'Who is that?' _she asked herself. She thought she had been alone in a dark place for years, but she could not comprehend the face of the person starring back at her was herself. _'Where am I?' _She felt warm tears stroll down her cheeks. "Why did you leave me all alone, Lord Sesshoumaru?" she muttered quietly.

Naraku over heard it and laughed. "After I get done with you, he will never want anything to do with you."

She noticed that the girl she saw in the pond was crying as well and before she was able to put two and two together, she was lunged forward and her heart stopped from fear as she hit the pond and she sunk down towards the bottom. She suddenly regained all of her strength and began kicking and waving her arms, trying to do anything in order to survive. Her legs had a longer reach than what she could remember, and her arms could reach farther than what she could remember, but it wasn't enough to save her from her surroundings, as it dragged her down and its darkness consumed her.

"And it will get the job done?"

Toashiki nodded with confidence. "Of course. This is the strongest demon that I had." The pond began to slowly fade away and dry up as if something was sucking the life out of it...

* * *

"Lord Seshoumaru" Jaken said "when you retrieve Rin, what-"

"-I have no intention of doing such a thing" Sesshoumaru told his annoying companion, even though it was a lie. No he wasn't exactly running, but he was walking at a faster pace than usual, causing Jaken to struggle as they traveled. Sesshoumaru lied to Jaken, and he lied to himself, but the truth was, that he couldn't bring himself to leave her. He was going to get her back, but he wasn't completely lying. He was planning on doing something else first. "I will slay Naraku. That is all."

"Y-yes my Lord."

* * *

Inuyasha's hands where on the ground as he sniffed the ground beneath him. "He's close. I couldn't mistake his awful stench. Naraku is near!"

"Are you sure?" Miroku asked. "It could be Kagura, Kanna, or even a new incarnation. They do have the same scent."

Inuyasha stood to his feet and growled. "Are you the one with a super powered nose?"

"No."

"Then shut up and trust me. This time, it's Naraku." He touched the handle of Tetsusaiga. "And this time I'm ready for him."

"I believe you, Inuyasha" Kagome said softly. "I sense the Shikon Jewel near by, and I don't think it's just a shard either."

Inuyasha smiled brightly. "Then what are we waiting for? I'm ready to end this now!" With those words he ran off without another word, he ran to where Naraku's scent led him.

"He needs to learn more patience" Shippo said.

"I agree" Sango said while holding her weapon in her hand tightly. "But when it comes to Naraku, it's best to attack while you know where he is."

Miroku and Kagome nodded in agreement and then ran to follow Inuyasha, with Kagome, Sango, and Shippo ridding on Kirara.

* * *

"Are you pleased Naraku?" Toashiki asked while looking at her creation. "Isn't she wonderful?" The pond filled with a demonic aura was completely gone and the only thing that remained was a body at the center where the pond once stood.

_'How will you feel Sesshoumaru, when you find out that Rin is something you despise?'_

"I hope a half breed is fine. It's impossible to do it fully." She looked down at the jewel in her hand. "Well, maybe if I had the whole jewel, it could be done."

"This is much more amusing."

"She should still be more than what Inuyasha can handle." A look of worry overtook Toashiki's face. "She cannot be controlled by me, so I'm not sure exactly how she will act or even if she will kill Inuyasha."

Naraku chuckled. "Oh she will. The demon power in her veins will be too much for her to comprehend, and she will be completely over taken with the thought of killing anything that she can, whether if it's you, me, Inuyasha, or her companions. She won't be able to control herself."

"You seem to know what you are talking about, Naraku."

Naraku didn't respond. _'Onigumo was thrown into darkness and now the same shall be with Rin.'_

Toashiki couldn't help but be a little nervous as she saw Rin's body rise from the ground and see her stand. Her scent had changed, her aura had changed, and her body had changed. Her finger nails where claws and her sweet smile was corrupted with a lust for destruction as her fangs showed. Even her sweet brown eyes were tainted and turned into a light pink color with a pupil that resembled just about any other demon, such as Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. _'She's been completely over taken by the demonic power within her. She'll try to kill me.' _Although the former Rin would never do such a thing, that was the only thing that the new half demon Rin could think about. She only wanted to kill, and it didn't matter who.

"Inuyasha is near" Naraku said pleased._ 'Will he be able to fight against another half demon, especially one who was just a human child? Or will he choose to be slain by her in order to avoid her death?' _

Toashiki backed away as Rin stepped closer. "She is powerful enough to destroy Inuyasha, and any other demon you want killed."

Rin saw the two in front of her and knew which one to strike first. She didn't think about it. Her body told her to do it, and she listened without hesitation. With growl and flick of her wrist, she jumped out of the ditch that was left by the dried up pond and used her claws. With a scream, only two demons remained.

"Well done" Naraku said as Toashiki's body fell. He took the jewel shard that fell from her limp hand and stepped away. "I am not the one you will fight though."

Rin couldn't even understand. All she knew was the rush in her body, telling her that no one deserved to live, that everything should die, and it should be done by her hands. She let out a growl and prepared herself for an attack, but Naraku made a retreat before any harm came to him.

Rin was going to go after him for the chance to kill, but even though her new demonic side was taking over her, she could not ignore her basic instincts telling her that she was cold. She searched for something to drape over her body, but in front of her and behind her there was nothing but forest. She had no other choice but to take a cloth that was on Toashiki's body and wrap it around her.

"He's not here" Inuyasha said. "He's escaped." Inuyasha looked ahead to see a demon covered in blood, standing over another demon's dead body. Inuyasha didn't care that much that another demon was killed by another, but when his friends arrived behind him, and the demon before him began to growl with fierceness in her voice, he took out Tetsusaiga. "Stay back, Kagome."

"What's going on, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked. "Is this one of Naraku's minions?"

"I don't know, but he was just here."

"And so was the jewel" Kagome said. "It's gone now. I can still sense it. If we leave now we can catch it."

Sango stepped off of Kirara. "I don't think that's an option as of right now. It doesn't look like we'd be allowed to leave."

Inuyasha got a whiff of her scent, and said "It's a half demon" he said.

"A half demon?" Shippo said.

Rin cracked her knuckles like Inuyasha usually does, right before he used his claws to strike down someone.

"She's serious" Miroku said.

_'Her scent is familiar, and yet, I know I've never smelt this scent before. What's going on? Who is she?' _"What business do you have with me?" Inuyasha asked. "Well, say something!"

Rin did not. She was overwhelmed with her demonic power that the Rin she once was wasn't there anymore. With a short chuckle, she began to run towards Inuyasha, ready to strike him down with her claws.

"Get back!" Inuyasha commanded.

* * *

"Wait for me, Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken yelled. Sesshoumaru was so far ahead of him and wasn't going to slow down for him. He never did, and especially wasn't going to do so now. Jaken struggled, but fell on the ground once again and looked up wearily. "Wait for me!" He stood up and began running, but was still very far behind. "Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Naraku's scent could still be picked up and was going on the same direction as Rin's. He told himself he had nothing to protect because he hand nothing worth protecting.

But it was a lie.

_'Rin.'_

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2: The Demon Within

Chapter 2

I don't own Inuyasha

Inuyasha grunted, looking at the opponent in front of him. "I don't have time for you! I have to go stop Naraku!" He cracked his knuckles. "If you don't get out my way, you'll regret it."

Rin smirked, showing a little of her fangs and ran forward to Inuyasha. "Ahhh!"

"Get out the way guys!" Inuyasha yelled, and they all listened. He dodged her first assault, but with the second swing, she was able to claw him in the chest. He backed away and grunted slightly, but pushed through the pain. "Who are you?" Inuyasha was expecting an answer, so when she shifted her body, and kicked him in the face, he was caught off guard. He was knocked down to the ground and dropped his sword, causing it to change back into normal, but he quickly recovered and got up before she hit him again. "She's all strength. No brain huh?" He grabbed his sword and it transformed again. "This'll make it easier to kill you! Wind Scar!" With a swing of his sword, his attack was coming towards her and fast.

But she was faster.

She quickly got out of the way and totally completely Inuyasha and moved on to another opponent. "Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed in fear. Rin was coming towards her and she was too fast to run away from. She couldn't even get an arrow and shoot it.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha began running for her, but the demon was too fast for him to catch.

"Wind tunnel!" Miroku yelled.

Right before Rin struck, she felt the pull of Miroku's wind tunnel, and decided to leave Kagome alone. Trees began to come into Miroku's wind tunnel, along with a few forest animals, but Rin was fighting it with all of her strength, and was about to lose. "Ahh!" She lost her footing and was being sucked towards his wind tunnel, and she couldn't stop.

"That demon" Kagome said to Sango "she looks sort of familiar."

"How can that be, Kagome?" Sango asked.

"I don't know, but..." Kagome shook her head. "Don't pay me any attention. I must be imagining things."

"Prepare to die, demon!" Miroku said as a tree along with Rin was being sucked towards him wind tunnel.

Rin wasn't about to die so easily. Her foot touched the tree in front of her that was about to share the same fate as her, and pushed off of it enough to get out of the wind tunnels pull and above the monk's head.

_'If she was able to do that, then we're not dealing with an ordinary demon!' _Miroku wrapped his arm around with his sacred beads, closing his wind tunnel. Miroku couldn't believe that she was able to pull off such a stunt, especially when she landed right behind him and grabbed him by his neck, and threw him into another tree.

"Miroku!" Sango yelled. She quickly got off of Kirara and prepared to throw her weapon towards the demon before any more damage could be inflicted on Miroku.

The last thing Miroku saw was Rin's blood thirsty smirk before he lost consciousness.

Sango spun around in a circle again, again, and again, and finally let go of her weapon. "Hiraikotsu!" It flew towards Rin, and she heard it and saw it as if came to her, but didn't fear it at all. A moment right before it hit, Rin jumped over it, and grabbed it once she had landed back on her feet. "What?" Sango said. "This demon is unreal!"

"Oh yeah?" Inuyasha said while holding on to his sword tightly. "Her death will be pretty real!"

"This is really bad, you guys" Kagome said. "Miroku's unconscious!" Kagome got off of Kirara and prepared to shoot an arrow, but she was so worried about Miroku, that she couldn't quite get into focus for shooting. "This is really bad" she stated again.

"Don't worry Kagome" Shippo said. "There's nothing we can't handle."

Kagome looked down at her little fox demon friend and then to Inuyasha. _'Should I even mention it? Is it even worth mentioning?' _Rin began spinning around with Sango's weapon, mocking Sango just before she threw it. 'She _looks familiar and I can't put my finger on who she reminds me of.' _"Inuyasha, does her scent smell familiar to you?"

"Now that you mention it, she does smell familiar, but I know for a fact that I've never quite smelled this scent before. It's different, like" he shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not sure."

"We can't kill her." Kagome said. "She might be someone that we know."

"We've never fought a demon like this before, Kagome. We don't know her."

"But she's a half demon, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha hesitated to say anything. He had never killed a half demon, and the only one he was looking forward to killing was Naraku. _'Naraku was here. What's her connection to all of this? This is so strange. Why was Naraku here? She's obviously not another incarnation, so what is she exactly?' _

"Get out the way!" Sango yelled as her own weapon was sent flying towards them. Inuyasha grabbed Kagome and got her out of the way, and Sango jumped on Kirara and they flew out of the way.

"Shippo!" Kagome yelled.

"Transform!" Shippo turned into a giant pink ball and was able to dodge the Hiraikotsu, but there was a series of trees that were cut down along the path of the Hiraikotsu, and one of them collided with Shippo.

"Shippo!" Sango yelled.

Shippo transformed back into his normal state, but he was now lying unconscious on the ground.

The Hiraikotsu began to come back towards Rin, but she wasn't going to throw it again, so she ignored it and it eventually had a rough impact with the soil and rocks of the forest and stopped.

Rin cracked her knuckles and was beginning to attack again, but not like before. This time, the attack was going to be different. She was going for the kill. She continuously began moving her fingers, preparing for something extraordinary.

"What is she doing?" asked Kagome with her bow still tightly held in one hand and an arrow in the other.

"It looks like" Sango gasped "She gathering energy!" Sango began to grow pale, which was something that Kagome had never really seen from Sango. "I-I think I know what sort of demon this is, but there's only one way to tell."

"Which is?"

"We wait" Sango said.

The demonic aura in Rin's body increased rapidly and a brilliant red surrounded her body, especially her hands.

"She's preparing to attack!" Inuyasha said with a smirk. "I can get her with my backlash wave attack and that'll be the end of her!"

Kagome still looked worried. "Are you sure you want to do that, Inuyasha? Miroku and Shippo are still in the forest somewhere. Your attack could kill them."

He grunted. _'She's right, but what am I supposed to do then?'_

"I'll get Miroku and Shippo" Sango said. "You distract her."

"I don't think I'll have to" Inuyasha said "she's going right for me!"

Rin was once again running towards Inuyasha, and Inuyasha couldn't use his backlash wave. "Get back Kagome!"

She nodded "Right!" Kagome got a good distance apart from Inuyasha as Rin's aura around her hands had transformed into a giant ball of energy. "Be careful, Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled.

"I know" he said irritated. _'I can't use my backlash wave, even though this would be the prefect time to do so.'_

"Ahh!" Rin let go of her energy and it dashed to Inuyasha quicker than what he expected, but he dodged it.

"You're going to have to do better than that!" Inuyasha quickly silenced himself, when she continuously threw one energy ball after another to him, with his death as her only intention. _'Why'd I have to open my big mouth?'_

"Inuyasha!" Sango called from above.

He looked up to see Sango and Miroku riding on Kirara. Miroku was holding his shoulder and wincing. "You're going to pay-" when Inuyasha looked at Rin again, her attack was already too close to dodge. "Ahhhh!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. "Inuyasha?" Her heart stopped. She couldn't bare the thought of Inuyasha possibly being dead, and by the hands of someone she told him not to kill. _'Inuyasha, please be okay.' _She tried to desperately see through the smoke that engulfed his body, but failed. _'Inuyasha!'_

Rin began to walk slowly towards Inuyasha's body when the smoke cleared. He was lying in the middle of a crader with his fingers twitching. "Die!" She hissed out.

"Get away from him!" Kagome screamed.

Rin felt her heart stop as a glowing arrow flew past her cheek. She gazed at Kagome angrily and felt the need to kill her.

"Let me down, Sango" Miroku said.

"Sure thing."

Kagome prepared to shoot another arrow. "If you dare hurt Inuyasha, then you're going to regret it. Now leave, or I'll shoot, and you won't survive! This is a sacred arrow. You'll be killed."

Rin smirked and an aura grew around her hands again. "Die." She said again.

"Wind Tunnel!" Miroku unleashed his wind tunnel for another try, and Rin was completely caught off guard. "You can't escape me this time!" she was going head first into the wind tunnel and her demon blood was not telling her what to do.

"Close your wind tunnel now!" Sango yelled.

Miroku looked above him and knew that he could not destroy her. "Naraku's poisonous insects!" He closed his wind tunnel and Rin landed back on her feet and started to growl like a wild animal about to attack its prey. _'Now my wind tunnel is useless.'_

"Then there's no doubt in my mind about it!" Inuyasha was in pain, but he never let that stop him before. "This demon is working for Naraku, and for that, she must die." It was difficult, but he was able to rise to his feet and with the help oh him leaning on the Tetsusaiga, he was able to stand.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome roared happily.

"Keh, it's going to take a lot more than one attack from some demon working with Naraku to kill me!" He found the strength to stand and transformed his sword into the giant fang. "Hey, I'm the one you want!"

Rin turned away from Miroku, smelling the scent of Inuyasha's blood. _'Kill, have to kill.'_ She ran to Inuyasha once again; ready to kill him with her claws. The Rin she once was, was no longer able to see anything, hear anything, or do anything. She was thrown into darkness, and was not able to realize that she was about to be no better than any other murderer, demon, or evil human.

_'She's not going to use her power. She's going to meet me head on. If I can just hit her directly with my wind scar, she'll be done for!' _"Prepare to die!" He saw the winds of her demonic aura collide with his. _'There's the spot, the fissure! Hit that, and the wind scar will appear._' "Wind scar!" He slashed his sword down and his attack ripped through the ground and straight to Rin. She was already too close to do anything. It was too late for her to do anything. Her body froze. "Die!"

Rin once again felt something that her human heart contained. She was afraid. She was all alone, and there was only death's cold grip about to consume her. _'Someone help me!'_

"What the Hell?" Inuyasha saw a flash of white and silver pass by, and Rin felt an arm wrap around her waste tightly, and instead of attacking, she let him have his way and jump out of the way of the blast.

When the dust settled, the little girl trapped deep within the demon was able to feel something, someone that she cared about. He had come for her, to save her. She knew that once Rin looked into his eyes. _'Lord Sesshoumaru?'_

Rin saw something that she had never really seen in his eyes before. It was a look of curiosity, but then his hard and stony expression returned to his face, and Rin was afraid that he was angry with her.

_'Naraku.'_

"What do you think you're doing interfering with my battle, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru let go of Rin's waist and took out Tokijin from his belt. "Inuyasha," he held it forward and a blue wave on energy hit Inuyasha and knocked him down. "Stay out of this, or perish. This does not concern you."

He grunted, feeling every single one of his wounds, including the new ones that Sesshoumaru just wrongfully made. "The Hell it doesn't!" he said standing up. "This is my fight. She tried to kill me, Kagome, and the others."

"Stay out of this. I will handle this from here."

"She's mine!"

Rin's mind was once again consumed by the demon that was inside of her body and she began to growl and cracked her knuckles again.

_'Rin?'_ Sesshoumaru thought. _'This is Naraku's doing, but how?' _Sesshoumaru smelt blood all over her, but none of it was hers.

_'Does Sesshoumaru know this demon?' _Kagome thought. Rin's hair was previously wet, but with all of the jumping around, her hair was just about dried and had begun to form its normal shape of the flipped edges. _'She looks like that little girl that follows him around. Rin! Rin is her name. She looks like Rin, but…'_ Kagome doubled checked to make sure. The eyes were the same shape, the face looked the same, and the hair was the same. _'But that's impossible. Rin is a little girl, way younger than me. This demon looks older than me. There's no possible way that this demon could be Rin.' _She gazed at Sesshoumaru. He didn't look like he was going to attack her in any way. _'If it's not her, then Sesshoumaru wouldn't be here protecting her from Inuyasha.'_

* * *

"Sesshoumaru is here!" Miroku said to Sango.

Sango had Shippo in her arms, who was still unconscious. "Yes, I see. But why would he be here? This doesn't concern him."

"Maybe it does, Sango. He has been after Naraku as of lately."

"That's right. Naraku kidnapped a mortal girl that accompanied him and tried to absorb Sesshoumaru."

"They are enemies. He was probably following Naraku's scent."

"You're probably right, but then if that's why, then how come he's fighting Inuyasha right now?"

"When aren't they fighting each other?"

* * *

"Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha yelled holding on to his sword tightly. "Stay out of this or you'll regret it!"

"Don't make me laugh, Inuyasha. You're nothing but an inferior half demon. Don't ever think that you could defeat me."

"Well, I've been winning all of our battles up until now!"

"If that was so," he ran to Inuyasha, to strike him down "then why aren't I dead?"

As their swords collided, the demonic aura of their swords caused a great disturbance in the land. "Back off!" Inuyasha yelled.

"I told you to let me handle this. You have no place here."

"You're the one who came from the middle of no where! This is my battle."

"You were warned." Sesshoumaru knocked to Tetsusaiga out of Inuyasha's hands and rammed his sword straight through Inuyasha's gut. Inuyasha fell to the ground, feeling lightheaded from the loss of blood. "So you've taken your proper place, Inuyasha? Half breeds should stay on the ground."

Rin was watching the battle from afar. She was beginning to remember Sesshoumaru and how she wanted to be with him forever. _'But why did he take so long? Why'd he wait so many years? I was all alone in the dark for so long. I waited, and he came. He came today.'_

She felt the demon power in her, telling her body things that her human heart didn't want to do. _'Kill Lord Sesshoumaru? I don't want to kill him! I…I don't want to kill him!'_ She felt a darkness surrounding her, and she felt like she was chocking. "Ahhh!"

Kagome couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She looked like she was in so much pain. Rin was holding her head, trying to block out the voices telling her to kill her lord and everything else. _'What's going on with her? She looks so scared and confused. It's like she's trying to resist.'_

_'Kill him!'_

"I can't." She said quietly.

_'He left you all alone.'_

"He came back for me."

_'He'll kill you because you're a half demon. He despises his own flesh and blood. He'll kill you as well.'_

"He would never…"

_'Kill him!'_

"No!"

Sesshoumaru's sensitive ear's picked up her voice and her struggle. He turned his back towards Inuyasha and didn't finish him off. _'How is it possible that Naraku could accomplish this? I've never heard of such a thing.'_

_'Kill him!'_

Rin felt her human heart disappear and the darkness within her body consumed her once more. _'Yes. Kill Lord Sesshoumaru.'_

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3: Together With Lord Sesshoumar...

Chapter 3

I don't own Inuyasha

_'Kill Lord Sesshoumaru.' _Rin cracked her knuckles and began to growl at her new opponent.

Sesshoumaru turned his sights towards the girl. "Oh, you wish to fight me?"

Rin charged forward ready to kill by any means necessary. She wanted everyone to die, starting with him. "Ahhh!" Rin began to try to claw Sesshoumaru, but he was too fast for her. He dodged every move she made, but didn't strike against her.

_'I'm sure of it' _thought Kagome. _'He's trying not to hurt her.'_

Sesshoumaru grabbed Rin by her neck, but didn't put more force on it than what it took to lift her up off of the ground. "What are you doing? Do you wish to die?"

Rin could break free from his grasp. He wasn't holding on tightly, and she could still breathe slightly. She grabbed his arm, trying to break free, but then ceased from moving at all. She just starred into his demon eyes that began to seem so familiar.

_'She only has a desire to kill. She doesn't even remember who she is.'_

Kagome thought about making a run for Inuyasha, but knew it would be in vain. _'If she gets free from Sesshoumaru's grasp, then I'll be dead before I can even get to him._' Just then, she smiled as she saw Inuyasha struggle to get up. "Inuyasha!"

Sesshoumaru heard Kagome's cry and dropped Rin on the ground. "Don't attack me if you still wish to live. You at least still know fear." He faced his brother again. Blood was dripping down Inuyasha's stomach, which only made Sesshoumaru gloat. "You're so weak, Inuyasha. Don't think that you could ever defeat me, especially while being so wounded."

"Shut up! I'll take you and the girl on right now!" Inuyasha grabbed a hold of Tetsusaiga and it transformed into the fang. "She's not getting out of this." The wind scar began to circle around his sword. _'I can take her down with a direct hit from my wind scar and if she attacks, I can use my backlash wave.'_

"I told you to stay out of this, Inuyasha. The girl doesn't concern you."

Rin backed away from Sesshoumaru and began to gather energy in her hands. This time, it was bigger than most of her body. It was her from head to knees and as wide as Rin was long.

_'She's attempting to kill me' Sesshoumaru_ thought. _'This is Naraku's plan? He wants me to kill the girl? He thinks he's so clever.'_

"Ahhh!" Rin tossed he ball of energy straight towards Sesshoumaru, but he quickly got out of the way to dodge it.

_'The fool' _he thought. _'She can't possibly kill me.'_ Just when he stopped his thought, he felt the Tenseiga begin to pulse. _'The Tenseiga?__ Why do you wish to be drawn?'_

The ball of energy had missed Sesshoumaru, but was heading straight towards Inuyasha. "Keh, this is exactly what I've been waiting for. Backlash wave!" He swung his sword and his power began to transform Rin's attack into multiple tornadoes, right back at her. "Die!"

Her body completely froze up, not expecting Inuyasha's attack.

_'Rin.'_Sesshoumaru drew the Tenseiga out and ran to Rin to get her out of the way, but he was too close to the backlash wave and it was too huge to be avoided. _'This is what you desire Tenseiga? You wish for me to save the mortal girl once more?'_

Rin closed her eyes and waited for death to strike her, but she felt nothing. She opened her eyes and it revealed nothing but darkness surrounding her. "Am I dead?" She looked in front of her, and though it was dark, she made out the figure. "Lord Sesshoumaru?"

He had the Tenseiga extended, pointing towards the backlash wave, keeping it away from him and Rin. _'The Tenseiga created a barrier, just like before.'_ He recalled the time when he and Inuyasha were fighting, and his little brother surprised him by using the wind scar. When it hit, the Tenseiga pulsed and created a barrier for him. _'I met the girl after that battle.'_ When she had tried to feed him two different occasions came to mind and when she smiled for the first time. _'Foolish mortal.__ What has she gotten herself into?'_

Inuyasha couldn't help but grunt. His backlash wave, an attack that always seemed to get the job done, was being deflected by his brother's barrier. _'Darn! How it is possible that Sesshoumaru is able to put up such a strong barrier? More importantly, how come I can't break the barrier?'_ Inuyasha watched in horror as his sword made a drastic change back into its normal state. _'What? This is impossible!' _"Why did my sword return to its normal state?"

_'He's using his sword to protect her.'_ Kagome had no doubts in her mind now. "That is Rin! If it wasn't, Sesshoumaru wouldn't be protecting her!"

"What did you say?" Inuyasha looked at Kagome and winched in pain, feeling the wound that Sesshoumaru inflicted on him.

"That demon is the little girl that follows Sesshoumaru. Can't you tell?"

"Now that you mention it, her scent seemed familiar, but I couldn't pin point it. It must be because of the demon aura and it changed her scent, but not completely." He grunted "It was another trap created by Naraku!"

Kagome ran to Inuyasha, seeing that Sesshoumaru and Rin were busy and Rin wouldn't attack her. "Inuyasha, do something! Your backlash wave is still attacking them!"

"It'll stop eventually. Besides, I don't think it can hurt them. Sesshoumaru's sword put up a good barrier."

"Tokijin?"

"No. It's the Tenseiga. He used it to protect her, and that's probably why the Tetsusaiga went to its normal form."

Inside the barrier, Rin was scared like a normal human and thought about running away out of the barrier. "Don't" Sesshoumaru instructed. "Inuyasha's attack will rip you apart if you leave out of here. Stay behind me and don't move until I tell you."

_'He wants to protect me? He doesn't want me to die.'_ She remembered when he came to get her after Kohaku attacked her and she remembered how he saved her when she went to see Jinenji. _'Lord Sesshoumaru, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do it! I didn't mean to attack you.' _She looked at her hands. They were not as she remembered. She remembered them being the small hands of a child with stubby little nails._' I know that I've had to have aged. I remember being gone for such a long time. I can still feel the loneliness. Why didn't he come for me sooner?'_ She felt tears come to her eyes. _'Why don't I feel like Rin anymore?'_

At last, Inuyasha's attack finally faded away into nothing. "Inuyasha" Sesshoumaru said "it seems that your best is still utterly pathetic."

"Answer me, Sesshoumaru! Is that demon the little girl, Rin, who follows you around? Is that why you protect her?"

Sesshoumaru didn't answer

"Well!"

_'Lord Sesshoumaru came for me. He saved me and I tried to kill him. I tried to kill his brother, Kagome, and the others.'_ She was brought back, back to that moment where she saw a shooting star dancing across the sky. _'I want to be with Lord Sesshoumaru forever!'_ She felt her legs begin to burn. She felt in her heart what she should do. _'He hates me. He must! I tried to kill him and I'm…I'm not me anymore! I'm so sorry Lord Sesshoumaru.'_ Her legs were burning and her heart was pounding. She was so frightened with the thought of Sesshoumaru despising her because of her appearance. _'I'm sorry.'_ Rin eased the burning sensation in her legs and began to run away from Sesshoumaru, not looking back. _'I'm so sorry!'_

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes towards her. _'Rin.'_

"Is that the girl?" Inuyasha asked again, more annoyed with his brother's silence.

"It was Naraku's doing. You foolishly fell into his trap, Inuyasha. He wanted her to kill you or the other way around. It doesn't surprise me that you're too foolish to realize." With those last words, he decided to ignore any more questions that his brother might ask and walked away from him towards the direction that Rin was in.

Inuyasha grunted and put his sword back in its sheath. "I can't believe Naraku managed to do this. Not only that, but because I fought her, Naraku managed to escape again."

Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and the now awakened Shippo landed on the ground by Inuyasha and Kagome. "So," Miroku asked "why was Sesshoumaru here?"

"That demon girl," Kagome said, "she was the small girl that followed him around. He came to rescue her."

"But how?" Sango asked. "How is it possible for Naraku to do such a thing?"

"I don't know," Inuyasha said, "but I don't like it. If he can do that to her, he can do it to others too."

"Does that mean that no human is safe?" Shippo asked worriedly.

"Don't be such a baby. Naraku only wanted her to be a demon so I'd kill her."

"And if you killed her," Kagome said, "Sesshoumaru would have wanted to kill you."

"Keh, like he could have. I've fought Sesshoumaru plenty of times. I can take him." Inuyasha winced in pain.

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know Inuyasha. It's different when you're seeking vengeance."

"I thought Sesshoumaru despised humans and especially half demons." Sango knitted her eyebrows together in worry. "Would he have really gone through with killing Inuyasha for revenge knowing that that's what Naraku really wanted?"

"Sesshoumaru doesn't like to do anything but his own thing." Inuyasha crossed his arms. "He wouldn't ever do what Naraku wanted him to do."

_'I don't know,'_ thought Kagome. _'I never would have thought that he would be hanging around a mortal girl, and yet he did travel with her. I don't think even Inuyasha has figured his brother out.'_

* * *

Naraku grunted looking into Kanna's mirror, seeing that Rin and Inuyasha were still alive. _'It seems that Inuyasha and Rin both couldn't get the job done. I will still find a way to use this to my advantage though.'_

Rin was running as fast as she possibly could, trying to get away from her demon Lord. She didn't want him to be angry with her. She couldn't bear the thought. Sesshoumaru was not in sight, but she knew that he could smell her and could catch up easily if he wanted to. _'I have to keep running. I have to…Jaken?'_ "Jaken?" Rin asked, seeing him running towards her direction.

"Get out of my way, demon!"

Rin growled, and grabbed Jaken by the collar of his clothes and prepared to strike him. "How could you?"

"Let go of me at once, demon! I have no quarrel with you!"

"Oh yes you do!" Rin threw Jaken on the ground and pushed him down with her foot. "You disgust me! Why, why would you and Lord Sesshoumaru leave me for so long?"

"Leave you? Who are you demon?" Jaken yelled out in pain, feeling her foot push him further down and her demonic aura beginning to burn his back.

"Do not toy with me! You left me! I know my appearance is different, but I aged. That's what happens when you leave someone for years!" She felt her demon blood began to stir up inside of her again. She tried to resist it, but the more she tried to resist, the angrier she got with Jaken. "Tell me the truth! Why did you two leave me all alone?" She got on her knees and placed her hand on Jaken's head, ready to crush his skull. "Don't you even remember me? I'm Rin!"

"That's impossible! Rin is a mortal girl! You are a disgusting half breed wench!"

She began to squeeze his head and it took every ounce of will that she had not to just kill him. "I don't know why I'm a demon, but I did age. You left me alone for years! Why Master Jaken? Why?"

"Let go of me at once or I'll reveal nothing to you!"

"Talk or you will no longer have anything but a rotting corpse to reveal." She was out of control. She didn't want to kill Jaken, but for some reason, she couldn't shake the thought of killing a weakling. She felt tears come to her eyes. _'Why am I doing this? Why can't I stop this?' _She let him go and held her right hand with her left. _'I was going to kill him. I was going to kill my friend.' _"Master Jaken please, I want to know what's going on! I want to know why I can only think of hurting others. I want to know."

Jaken didn't still quite believe her, but what choice did he have. _'This demon is insane.' _"Uh…Rin, you've been only gone a short while. It hasn't even been a day."

Rin felt like her world was spinning round and round. _'Why is the world this way? Why would Jaken say something like that?' _"Stop lying Jaken or I'll kill you!"

She closed her hands so tightly that blood began to flow from her palms. "Tell me the truth, or I'll destroy you! I remember being alone for a very long time. It's been more than a day! I know it has! It's been years!"

"No, it hasn't. Kagura came for you once again while Sesshoumaru and I were off. He smelt Naraku's scent and he told you not to move. You agreed, as always, and when we came back, a demon puppet of Naraku told us that you had been abducted once again."

She shook her head. "I remember, but you're lying! It's been longer than that. I haven't seen you in years, Master Jaken. I remember the day that Kagura abducted me again and I remember seeing Naraku and another demon…Toashiki was her name!"

"Toashiki? I've never heard of such a demon."

"Well she was there! She said she…"

_"Lord Sesshoumaru will come for me!" Rin said when Kagura dropped Rin on the ground in front of Naraku. _

_Naraku began to laugh gently. "I'm counting on that, mortal."_

_"You wish for me to transform her, Naraku?" Toashiki said. _

"She was old," Rin muttered to herself. "She was young when I saw her again." _'She should have aged more. How is it that possible?' _"Master Jaken, don't tell Lord Sesshoumaru that you saw me. Tell him and I swear you'll regret it."

"Where is Lord Sesshoumaru? I lost him."

"Behind me. Don't you dare speak my name!"

"But Rin…" She ignored him and ran away. "How is it possible, if that is Rin? She's a mortal girl. That was a demon woman."

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru said.

"Lord Sesshouma-" Jaken turned around just in time to see Sesshoumaru's foot step into his face. "She came by this way. What did she say?"

Jaken sat up and touched the foot mark on his face. _'Woe is me!' _"That demon claimed to be Rin."

"Are you blind Jaken?"

"No my Lord. I know that it can't be Rin."

"It was her."

Jaken scratched his head. "Of course my Lord, I knew that. But how is that possible?"

"Naraku managed to do this in an attempt for Inuyasha to slay her, thinking that I would slay Inuyasha for vengeance. He truly is foolish."

"So you would have let Inuyasha live if he killed her?"

Sesshoumaru didn't answer and continued on his journey to find her.

Rin continued to run but once she saw a stream, she had to see her reflection. She had to make sure that she wasn't crazy or just dreaming everything. _'Please, I want this to be a dream. I want to wake up and be a little girl again. I want to travel the world with Lord Sesshoumaru for all eternity. And even if I die, I want my memory to remain in his heart.'_

Rin went to the stream and was hesitant about looking into the stream. That would only make everything real. She didn't want it to be real. _'I want things to be like how they were a long time ago, if it was even a long time ago.' _She got on her knees and held her head above the water, but closed her eyes before she would see anything. _'I'm sorry Lord Sesshoumaru.' _She opened her eyes and saw herself. She saw the demon woman, instead of a human girl. _'Why?'_ She began to sob. "Why did it turn out this way?" She touched her reflection to see if it was real, and it was. Her face was that of a woman, and her eyes were that of a demon. "I don't want to be a demon. I want to be Rin."

"Rin."

Her ears had never worked so well before. She could hear his voice so clearly, unlike anything before. She didn't want to look back and see him. She was afraid that he would be disgusted with her, and that he would hate her, just like he despised his brother. She prepared herself to run again. _'Forgive me, Lord Sesshoumaru.' _

Just as she stood and prepared to run, Sesshoumaru posed a question. "And what exactly do you attempt to gain by running away?"

She couldn't move. There was nothing for her if she ran away. She had no family, no other friends to find comfort in. She only had Lord Sesshoumaru and Jaken. "I…I don't know." She began to shake all over from emotional pain. She was so confused. She thought she understood everything, but she had it all wrong. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" her back was faced towards him and she hung her head down low. "I know that you don't like half breeds. It's obvious by the way you and your half breed don't brother get along." Her voice began to break up from sobbing. "I'm sorry for attacking you. I don't know what happened." She looked at her hands that were covered in blood. "I don't want you to hate me, Lord Sesshoumaru." She faced him finally. "I would rather be alone then have you of all creatures despise me."

Her eyes were so desperate and her body trembled with fear. Sesshoumaru told himself that she was pathetic and to leave her to her wishes of being alone, but he often did lie to himself. He told himself that he should make her go away. He often told himself that she wasn't worth protecting, that she was a nuisance, and he should just leave her. But the truth was that was a lie. He couldn't leave her, even if he told himself different. "Let's go." He said nothing more, turned around, and began to leave.

"You…" _'He doesn't despise me. He's still going to let me follow him.'_ She wiped her tears away. _'I'll never run from you again, Lord Sesshoumaru. I'll follow you to the ends of the Earth.'_ She smiled. _'I wish to be together with Lord Sesshoumaru, forever!_' "Coming!"

To be continued….


	4. Chapter 4: The Eouro Clan

Chapter 4

I don't own Inuyasha

It had been no more than fifteen minutes that Rin had rejoined Sesshoumaru and continued in her travels with him, but it seemed like an eternity as the silence drove Rin mad. _'It's not like he really ever talked before, but now it's different. I wish he'd say something.'_ Rin was still wearing the tattered cloth that she had taken from Toashiki's dead body and felt uncomfortable being covered in the blood.

The silence was finally broken when Sesshoumaru said, "Wait here, Rin."

He kept walking, but it was then that Rin asked, "But where are you going, my Lord?"

It was then that he noticed how different Rin was from before. Usually Rin would agree and pledge not to move from her spot, but he pushed the thought aside and simply answered. "I'm going to slay Naraku."

"Oh…well can I go too, my Lord?"

He didn't stop at all. "You'll only get in my way."

"But…I have demonic powers now. I can take care of myself. You don't have to worry about me."

Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks and turned around to face her, offended. "So, you think just because you have claws and fangs that makes you a demon?"

Rin stepped back, feeling that he was angry with her, and he was. "Well…I" she was so humiliated. She thought herself as a half demon, but now she wasn't so sure. _'Then what am I?' _"I suppose not."

"Then stop assuming so."

He turned around and he and Jaken continued going on "But…I don't want to be alone…anymore."

Sesshoumaru stopped one last time. "Rin, if you want to survive in this world, you have to learn to fend for yourself."

"Yes, my Lord_." 'It'll be alright. He won't leave me. He'll come back like he always does. My lord will never abandon me.' _"I'll wait for your return." She said sadly.

Sesshoumaru and Jaken began walking, but they didn't get very far before Sesshoumaru said "Jaken, stay here."

Jaken's mouth dropped and just before he complained about what his master commanded, he thought about all of the beatings he had received from him and decided to leave his complaints in his head and to Rin once Sesshoumaru had left. _'Why is it that Sesshoumaru said Rin should fend for herself and then goes off and leaves me with her?'_

* * *

"Are you okay?" asked Shippo to Kagome as he finished coloring his picture of a field during sunset inside of Kaede's hut.

Kagome began finishing up Inuyasha's bandages. "Yeah, I'm just thinking about Rin. If Naraku is that powerful..."

"Don't worry about it, Kagome" Inuyasha said with assurance. "I'll kill Naraku." Inuyasha was still in a lot of pain, but he tried to ignore it.

"It's not just that, Inuyasha, it's also...well...your brother."

"Sesshoumaru?" His voice rose. He was still angry about the hole in his gut that his brother inflicted on him. "What about him?"

"She's traveling with him. He seemed to hate humans, but seems to even despise half breeds more. Do you think he'll be cruel to her?"

"Keh, I don't know what's going on inside that twisted mind of his. He could be planning anything. I do know that we have to get to Naraku, because if anyone's going to kill him, it'll be me." Inuyasha grunted and slapped his face. "And what are you doing here?" He put his hand down and Myouga fell down into the palm of his hand. "Suck someone else's blood."

"Yeah," Shippo said, "Inuyasha's lost a lot of it already!"

Shippo cried as Inuyasha hit him on his head and Inuyasha yelled once Kagome yelled, "Sit!"

Myouga jumped into Kagome's hand and began talking. "I've heard that a dangerous demon has been unleashed."

"Yes," Miroku said, "but I suppose she's not of any danger anymore."

Sango was still patching up Miroku's wounds, but felt deathly uncomfortable about it. "Well, I wouldn't be too sure about that. This demon is of the Eouro Clan."

"I was afraid of that," Myouga said. "They're supposed to be extinct."

"If they're extinct," Inuyasha said while rising up from the ground, "then it shouldn't be that big of a threat that you're making out."

"Besides," Kagome said, "the demon is a sweet little girl. She's not a danger. And she certainly isn't going to hurt any of her companions."

"She tried though," Sango said quietly.

* * *

"Master Jaken," Rin said quietly, almost above a whisper. "Could you please make a hot spring for me? I know you have the ability to."

"And what for?" Jaken asked.

"I need to bathe, Jaken. I reek of blood." She was so fragile in her state. She just needed to relax. Everything was falling apart. She wasn't how she remembered._ 'I need to get this off of me. I feel so dirty and...'_ "Please, Master Jaken."

Jaken sighed. "Fine." He searched for an area in the forest for a proper location and found some stones, some piled on to of each other, some beside on another, but it was a complete circle. "Now behold the might Jaken!" Jaken did a short dance with the staff of two heads and then hit one of the stones with his staff, causing water to pour out.

"Thank you Master Jaken" she was so sad that she didn't even sound excited. She just needed to calm down. Every time she thought about what she had done, she became ashamed of herself or angry that she didn't finish off Inuyasha. _'I don't' wish to feel this way anymore.'_ She took off the cloth covering her body.

Jaken looked away, disgusted with the sight of her body.

She stepped in and tried to relax as the warm water covered her body. The blood that was upon her began to slowly come off and she was grateful for that. She didn't like the thought of being covered in blood, at least not at the moment. "Master Jaken," she asked, looking at her reflection in the water, "do you think Lord Sesshoumaru is displeased with me?"

Jaken was sitting on the grass, faced away from Rin. "Well, you are a half-breed now, which is disgraceful to demons everywhere."

"But I didn't mean to be." Rin sighed and looked up at the dark, starry sky. _'I wish I could see another shooting star. I would wish that he liked me.'_

She pouted and put her head down and really began to pay attention to her reflection. She hadn't really noticed her body. Sure she noticed the fangs, eyes, and claws, but now she wasn't really looking at the demon features. _'I remember the years, but I couldn't see myself until right before I became a demon.' _She studied her features carefully and began to really lose her sense of childhood, if there was any left. She touched her shoulders and felt the muscle on her arm, even though it wasn't much. She had a very feminine look to her. _'I'm a woman now.' _She looked down at her breast. _'I really am a woman.' _The thought began to frighten her, but then she realized that there was nothing she could do. "I am a woman." She smiled and blushed lightly.

"A woman?" Jaken said jokingly. "You are nothing but a child."

Rin became angry, angrier than what she should have been and pouted. "A child, huh?" A little electric flash of red began to surround her right index finger as she held it up to her eye level and she smirked. "Can a child do this?"

Jaken turned to face her just in time to be electrocuted by Rin's power. He was engulfed in flames and began running around and around, until he rolled on the grass until the fire died down. "Wench," he whispered in great pain.

"Like I said," she blew on her index finger as if she had just shot a gun and said, "I am a woman." She turned away from Jaken and began to gently chuckle, but then it turned into a roar of laughter. "Sorry Jaken, I couldn't resist."

She was beginning to grow tired of relaxing in the hot springs and saw that her skin was beginning to wrinkle after she was in there for a while. _'Perhaps I should be done now.'_ She looked over to what she had worn for clothes. _'That won't do.'_ She looked up in the sky and thought '_when will you return to me, Lord Sesshoumaru?'_

Jaken recovered from Rin's attack and began to shake with rage. "Why are you so foolish, wench?"

She giggled and closed her eyes. "Relax Jaken. I wasn't going to kill you. If I was, you'd be dead.

_'She is far more trouble than what she was as a child. Lord Sesshoumaru, please come back soon.'_

"In the mountains in the breeze, in the forest, in my dreams, Lord Sesshoumaru, where are you?" Her voice started quiet but began to grow louder as she sang more. "Jaken is serving under you too. I will wait for you on my own, please return to me, waiting all alone." She sighed. "That is a foolish song, isn't it?" _'Not even the words from my own song sound like music anymore. Nothing is sweet anymore. It's all so ordinary. There's nothing new, nothing exciting, nothing to do. Is it because I am a woman, or because I am half demon?'_

Rin heard the grass began to rustle and a cloth hit against a surface. She turned around, feeling like it was him and it was. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" She looked down on a dry rock and saw a blue kimono folded up neatly. "I thought you were going after Naraku."

He didn't answer and paid her no mind as he walked away towards a tree and rested his back to it.

_'He left to get me something to wear?'_ She happily stood up and unfolded her kimono. It was silk and didn't look like it would be a loose kimono, but more form fitting. The pink flowers on it made it ever more beautiful. _'He did get me a new kimono after I met him. That one was covered in my blood and torn. He got me a new one then; I guess it's not so strange that he would get me one now.' _"Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru. You left to get me this?"

He turned his face away from her and said calmly, "Naraku's scent is completely gone."

"Oh," she was actually disappointed with his answer. "Well, thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Cover yourself up," he still said with the same tone as always.

Rin noticed that she was revealing all of her glory and blushed a little bit, feeling a little embarrassed. "Yes, my lord." She stepped out of the hot spring and clothed her body with the kimono and was able to find a smile. _'My lord is surely great.' _Rin was able to feel fear several times that day and tapped into many human emotions, especially when she saw Sesshoumaru again, but when she placed that kimono around her body and smiled, she felt like a true human again. _'I guess some things can still be new and exciting.'_

Rin spun around in her kimono and laughed with happiness. _'He did this for me.'_ She stopped and looked at Sesshoumaru who was just watching her, not curiously, not with any purpose at all. He was just watching, probably waiting for her to finish so they could continue on their journey. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" Rin walked to him and sat in front of him on the blades of grass. "Lord Sesshoumaru," she spoke sadly, in regret "I am sorry that I tried to hurt you and your brother."

"Do you honestly believe that I care for the well being of Inuyasha? As long as he meets his end by my hands, whatever pain you can inflect on him is of no concern to me."

"Oh…" she wasn't sure how she should talk to Sesshoumaru. She had never really talked to him before. She would talk, but he never would really answer her. She would sing, but he never paid any mind, from what she knew anyway. "I am very sorry that I tried to kill you."

"It's not something that you or any other demon could accomplish."

"I…I suppose you are right, my Lord." She felt so awkward. She wanted to have a conversation with him and he seemed highly annoyed with her. _'I feel like a fool. I'm I annoying to him? Is he displeased with me?'_ She felt her hair and found the little pony tail that would always stick to the side and took down, letting it down with the rest of her hair. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what do you plan to do as of now?"

Jaken came from behind, still aggravated from Rin's earlier attack. "Simple child, isn't it obvious?"

"Naraku?" she asked. "And afterwards?"

"He'll build his empire."

"Oh yes. I remember now. It will take hundreds of years to do so and I would have died." She smiled. "But I will not die, at least not for a long time. I have demon blood and can stay longer than what I would have as a human child."

"You plan to stay?" Jaken sounded disappointed. She certainly was more trouble now as a woman then as a child. "You'll stay that long?"

"For what purpose?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Rin thought it was a silly question. "To stay with…" She looked at his face and was in complete awe. She had never really realized how beautiful his features were until now. His long silver hair was amazing and his golden eyes were flawless. "To-to stay with you, Lord Sesshoumaru, I wish to stay with you." She shrugged her shoulders. "Where else would I go?"

"Away," Jaken muttered. Rin grunted and attacked him the same way she did in the hot spring. Jaken yelled and ran around in a circle for a few minutes and finally began to roll on the ground like before.

Rin was laughing at first, but then saw the expression on Sesshoumaru's face and stopped, thinking he wasn't pleased with her behavior. _'I shouldn't do such things in his presence.'_ She then looked harder at his face and noticed that even though he didn't crack a smile or even seemed like he had the ability to smile, he did look amused. His eyes weren't as cold. It was then that Rin began to laugh again.

_'Woe is the fate of Jaken.'_

Rin noticed Sesshoumaru's expression change into a deadly one, and Rin could feel something approaching. "I…I feel the presence of…something."

"Other demons."

* * *

"So," Inuyasha said to Myouga, "You're saying that this type of demon was so powerful that other demons joined together to destroy it?"

"It does make sense," Miroku declared. "She did put up a good fight, and she's only a half demon, and was a little girl not too long ago. A full demon, one completely in control, should be fierce."

"So what," Inuyasha yelled confidently. "It's no big deal. The girl's not a threat and neither is her race. Someone defeated them."

"It took the cooperation of many demons to kill them all off and even in the end, their leader was not killed."

"Then how are the extinct?" Shippo asked.

"He was sealed."

"Let me guess," Inuyasha spoke in a sarcastic tone. "My old man did it?"

"Yes, your father wasn't joined with the other demons trying to kill the Eouro Clan, but the leader picked a fight with your father. In the end, they try to kill everything that they can. Their nature is deadly."

"Does Sesshoumaru know that his father was an enemy of the Eouro Clan? How would he react to Rin being one?" Sango asked.

"I would assume Sesshoumaru would know," Myouga said quietly. "Why is Sesshoumaru traveling with one, anyway?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "You mean you don't know?"

"Not all of the details. I just know that there is a female Eouro out on the loose."

"It was Naraku," Kagome answered. "Naraku took a mortal girl that traveled with Sesshoumaru and changed her into one."

"Do you think the girl can be trusted? Do you think she'll try to kill Sesshoumaru?" Miroku reached his hand for Sango's bottom, but she grabbed his hand before he made contact.

"This is hardly the time."

"It's always an appropriate time to touch your perfect figure."

"Of course she can be trusted!" Kagome yelled. "Inuyasha's a half demon and he's good. Jinenji's a half demon and he's good. And Shiori, she's a very good girl. Rin's still human in there somewhere and no matter what, she wouldn't kill her friends."

"She did attack him." Inuyasha stated. "But I don't really care what happens to Sesshoumaru."

"But," Kagome put her head down "she began to remember. Didn't you see it in her eyes? I noticed it. She's a good girl."

"It doesn't matter," Myouga said, "because demons will soon come to finish off the girl; to ensure that every bit of her Clan is dead."

* * *

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin stood to her feet and cracked her knuckles, "why are demons coming? It seems like a lot. I can feel it."

Sesshoumaru stood as well. "There are hundreds, thousands."

"Thousands? What for?"

Sesshoumaru took out Tokijin and prepared himself for battle. "They're coming, for you."

To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5: Battle

Chapter 5

I don't own Inuyasha

"Coming for me?" Rin asked in confusion. "Why would demons be coming for me? Are you certain that they are not coming for another reason, my Lord? Are you certain that I am the one that they seek?"

"Foolish child!" Jaken yelled. "Do not question Lord Sesshoumaru! He knows far more than what you could ever fathom!"

Rin felt bad for her comment. _'Of course Lord Sesshoumaru knows what he's talking about. Why wouldn't he? He knows exactly what's going on and will know what to do.' _"So what do we do?" Rin asked curiously. "What do you plan on doing, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"Why ask such a foolish question? There is nothing more to think about. I have no quarrel with the approaching demons and if they choose to get in my way, then they shall perish."

All was quiet at first, but Rin could feel the demons coming. The demonic auras were coming closer and faster than what Rin thought. _'Why is this happening? Why are these demons after me? Why did Naraku have to take me and change me into this monster? I feel so horrible. I barely know who I am anymore.' _"I wish to fight with you, Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru was ready to ignore her comment, but Rin quickly repeated herself, making sure that he knew she was completely serious about what she said and what she was planning to do. "Do you honestly believe that you will be able to stand a chance against these demons?"

"Well, I..." She put her head down and played with her thumbs, indicating that she still had some child still left in her since she was doing such a childish gesture. "I did fight against Inuyasha."

"You fought against a pathetic half breed and nothing more."

_'I only wanted to help.' _Everything was so strange to Rin. Sesshoumaru seemed to be highly upset with Rin's new appearance. Rin desperately wanted things to return to normal and if it couldn't, then she at least wanted Sesshoumaru to accept her as she is instead of bringing her down to the position of insects, even though that was how he thought humans to be. She was never treated cruelly by him. Of course she wasn't an idiot and realized that it was a hard adjustment to make, but that didn't really make anything less painful.

The ground began to shake and the demonic auras began to come closer. Rin wasn't exactly sure how she was able to actually feel the demons, but somehow, someway, she was. _'I can feel them. I can feel the demons coming.'_

"Look up in the sky!" Jaken yelled, pointing up towards hundreds of demons covering the sky. "It's a hoard of demons!" As they came closer, Jaken stepped in front of Rin and yelled, "Let me take care of them, Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken raised the staff of two heads and then slammed the end on the ground causing a scorching fire to come out of it and kill off many demons, but there were so many, Jaken's attack ultimately didn't matter. "There are too many of them!"

Sesshoumaru stepped forward and used the Tokijin and quickly made work the demons approaching, but there were so many that he could not kill them all with one strike. Not even the Tetsusaiga could have killed them all with one blow.

Rin admired her Lord as he killed the demons swiftly with one blow of his sword after another. They weren't a worthy challenge for him, not even worthy enough to be in his presence. _'Lord Sesshoumaru is so strong.' _Not only was he strong, but he was so graceful and resourceful. Every move that he made proved not to be in ineffective. He was a master tactician and quick to act. _'He is so wonderful. There is no demon that could stand against him.'_

Rin felt the ground shake again and she knew something was coming, something huge. _'Whatever this big thing is, I'll be ready for it, no matter what.' _Sesshoumaru was busy landing blow after blow in order to kill all of the demons coming his way from the sky. Their numbers were so great that it was like a blanket of evil covering the Heavens. _'I've got to be brave. I'm a big girl now. I'm not scared.' _Rin couldn't help but gulp when the footsteps of a creature became so large that she lost her balance and fell on the ground. _'Be brave!'_

It wasn't long after that when a demon came from deep within the forest. It was gigantic! From the navel up could be seen above the tree tops. It had one eye and humongous fangs, ready to chew Rin up. Its skin was green and scaly, and the sight of it made Rin turn her head in disgust.

"What?" Jaken asked "Are you afraid of this demon?" Jaken had already decided in his mind that he liked the old Rin far better than the new one. He didn't like the fact that she was hovering over him. Sure she was bigger before, but now she could easily step on him, just like Sesshoumaru would often do. Not only that, but he felt threatened that his role would be taken by her. She was an annoyance before, but now she was bigger, and stronger. Even though her half demon blood was a disgrace, it could still prove useful sometimes. Jaken wanted to be the only one serving his Lord. He didn't need anyone else trying to take his position. She couldn't fill the role before; at least that's what Jaken would often tell himself. _'Why did Lord Sesshoumaru always insist on keeping this mortal girl around? Why is she of any importance to Lord Sesshoumaru? She's even worse than before. Why is she here still?'_ "So you're still a pathetic child?" Jaken nodded to himself. "You're worthless!"

Rin grumbled, but decided that this wasn't the time to take her anger out on Jaken. "Of course I'm not scared of this demon, it just look gross. That's all."

"The Eouro!" It cried in its deep demonic voice, filled with vibrato. "Give me the Eouro!"

"Eouro?" Rin asked curiously. "What's a…" She felt her heart beating faster and louder. That word, it did something to her, something she couldn't explain. She felt her blood rushing through her veins and she could feel the presence of the demon so strongly. She could see herself ripping its head of without hesitation. _'Eouro?_' She cracked her knuckles and her demonic aura surrounded her body and she prepared to attack the demon.

Jaken remembered Rin struggling to stop herself from crushing his skull and wisely stepped back. "Rin? What's come over you?"

She couldn't answer with words. She began to growl deeply, only thinking of killing the demon who dared to challenge her power and authority.

Sesshoumaru finished off the last few numbers of demons, just in time to see Rin run towards the giant demon with tremendous speed. _'What does she plan on doing?'_

"Ahhh!" Rin jumped up in the air high enough to reach the demons head and began to claw it in its face. Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her and waited for her next move. The demon cried out in pain and grabbed Rin with its right hand, and the placed his left over it.

"I'm going to crush you, demon!"

Sesshoumaru heard Rin cry out in pain and rushed to the demon in order to save her, but before he could do anything to help, Rin yelled out again and the demon's hands exploded as a bright red light covered the area. It was then that the demon was crying out in pain again and Rin was laughing sadistically at it. She landed on her feet and then blasted its right leg, making it lose its balance. She only laughed louder when it fell.

Jaken was shocked at Rin's strength. He didn't mean to speak aloud. "Ah! Rin has certainly become formidable!"

Sesshoumaru was curious to see how she would act towards this demon and how she would finish it off. She certainly wasn't herself, not the Rin he knew. It was if there was three of her now. There was the mortal child, peeking out every so often; craving attention, pure, and innocent. Then there was the demon, reckless and ready to kill anything and anyone for her amusement. She was truly a ruthless monster. And the last one was the half demon, caught in between, trying to find her way and see who she was, and how she should really be. The child and the demon contrasted each other so much that the middle ground couldn't really be set for sure. That's why Rin was so confused. That's why she wanted things to be normal again, and that's even why she wanted to fight by Sesshoumaru's side. She didn't know what to do, and he didn't know what to expect from her.

Rin raised her hands up in the air, gathering energy, preparing to kill the demon. As the energy she gathered increased, her laugh became more vicious. The thought of killing something excited her, and after she was done with the demon, she might just have to do it again. "Die!" She blasted the demon's head off, and that was the end of it. She frowned, seeing it was over, but then looked over to Sesshoumaru. _'Kill him?'_ She asked herself confused. _'Kill Jaken?'_That seemed more acceptable. But the challenge of killing Sesshoumaru sparked her demon's blood attention more than just simply ripping Jaken's head off.

* * *

"I think we should do something to help Rin!" Kagome yelled. "I know she wouldn't ever do anything bad. She likes Sesshoumaru too much to ever go over the line."

"Do you think Sesshoumaru would kill her?" Sango asked.

"No doubt about it." Inuyasha nodded his head, as well as Myouga. "Sesshoumaru is ruthless. He thinks humans as insects and would kill them without hesitation."

"If that's true," Miroku said, "then he wouldn't be accompanied by this girl in the first place."

Inuyasha's ears slumped down. "Look, I don't understand why this girl is following Sesshoumaru or why he's even allowing it to happen. It's strange to me. I would have never thought something like this would ever be able to happen." Inuyasha was stumped and didn't know quite what to say. "I hate to say it, but I don't know what he'd do, but if it turned out that he's not able to trust her…"

"You're not serious!" Shippo yelled.

"We've got to do something to help!" Kagome yelled.

* * *

_'No'_ Rin told herself. _'Don't think of such things! He's not your enemy.' _"Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin said gently, "do you know why these demons were after me?" She needed to get her mind off of killing the demons. She got too riled up. She never wanted to think the thought of killing Lord Sesshoumaru again. Never!

_'The look in her eye…'_ he began walking towards her _'that look that she had in her eyes when she looked at me…she wished to kill me. She was going to try it again.' _Sesshoumaru now had to think about Rin and why exactly he was keeping her around. Sure she wasn't a threat, but she was a mortal girl, a disgusting mortal girl. Mortals were filthy insects, the reason for his great father's death and even for his half brother's downfall when he was sealed to a sacred tree because he gave his heart to a disgusting mortal. Now she was a half demon, a disgraceful half demon. Half demons were born of demons and revolting humans. That wasn't the case with Rin, but just the fact that she was a half demon was enough to make him appalled. Why was he keeping her around? What was the reason? It wasn't like she was benefiting him in anyway. She was recently only causing him trouble with Naraku. The first time she was kidnapped in order for Naraku to escape and now this time was just to annoy and kill him.

That's right. Naraku did turn her into a demon, some how, some way. _'He wanted her to kill Inuyasha, or Inuyasha to kill her thinking that I would kill Inuyasha for doing so. Did he honestly believe that I would kill Inuyasha for revenge? For a mortal girl?' _

"It's because of your blood," he stated.

"What?" She looked at her hands, her demonic hands. They were covered in the demon's blood_. 'They're after my blood? But why?' _"Why is my blood of any use to these demons?"

Should he really tell her? It would probably just build up her confidence and she would eventually have an ego and that was not something he wanted to deal with. She was still a weak, little girl as far as he was concerned. She didn't need to know, not all of the details. Not even he knew all of the details. He didn't understand why so many demons thought the Eouro Clan to be so powerful that they were a threat. It seemed pathetic, especially coming after a half breed now. Not just a half breed, but a female. To fear a female was more pathetic than Rin's current position itself. Sesshoumaru didn't kill the attacking demons just for Rin's sake, but if they were afraid of her enough to team up against her, they weren't worthy enough to breathe the same air as Sesshoumaru, or even have the privilege of breathing.

He decided he might as well. She would only continue to ask Jaken until it was told. "Why would your half demon blood be of any service to these demons?"

She didn't know what to say. _'I guess I phrased that question wrong._' "Why were they trying to kill me?"

He turned away from her and began walking again and she ran to him to follow. "They were afraid of your power. They were foolish."

His words were so cold and harsh. He truly believed her to be weak and helpless. She had never realized how cold he was, and maybe it was the demon inside of her, or maybe it was the fact that she was no longer a child, but whatever made her realize that he was so cold, so ruthless, and just so wicked…

She liked it.

_'Lord Sesshoumaru.' _"Lord Sesshoumaru," she didn't mean to say his name out loud and felt foolish. She felt embarrassed and didn't want to call his attention for nothing. "I am hungry, my Lord." That wasn't a lie. She was hungry. Technically speaking, she hadn't had a meal in ten years. It was a good thing her aging process was so unnatural that she didn't need the food to age and still look like a normal woman, but she still very much missed the taste of food in her mouth and couldn't quite remember what melon tasted like, or fish, or rice.

"Then you must search for some yourself."

She nodded. "Y-yes my Lord." She felt her cheeks begin to burn and didn't know quite why it was doing so, nor did Sesshoumaru. She hurried away from him, feeling like she needed to in order to ease the burning feeling. _'What's the matter with me? Why am I acting so strange?'_

"Accompany her, Jaken."

"But my Lord-" Jaken was cut off with the sudden landing of Sesshoumaru's foot on his face. _'Why must I accompany the girl? It's not as if she will be kidnapped again!'_

With Rin running off and Jaken being in too much pain to speak, Sesshoumaru was able to pick up the sound of water somewhere around. "Rin," he called out, "there's a river near by."

Rin didn't want to go back. She needed to go be alone somewhere for just a moment for her face to get cleared, but she obeyed his voice and came back to his side. "Yes my Lord. Jaken and I can catch some fish." The burning began to die down.

Sesshoumaru noticed the redness in her face but didn't ask about it, knowing from experience that if he asked anything Rin would smile and assume that he cared and he certainly didn't want to give off that impression.

They walked a few miles until they were able to find the river. Rin was surprised that Sesshoumaru was able to hear it from so far away. "What sort of demon are you?" she asked dipping her hands into the river to wash the blood from her hands. "Inuyasha has doggy ears. So you're a dog demon, aren't you?"

Sesshoumaru rested his back to a tree and watched her prepare to catch fish for her meal. He didn't answer her with words, but nodded slightly.

"That's why you hear and smell so well." She pulled her hands out of the water and shook them until they were dry. "I just assumed that all demons could smell and hear better than humans, as well as see better."

"They can," Jaken insisted. "But Lord Sesshoumaru is superior to all demons!"

"Wow," she said. She wasn't as amazed as she would be as a child. _'He doesn't look like a dog. His looks are far from a dog.'_ Rin slapped her cheek.

"What's the matter?" Jaken asked. "Have you lost your mind?"

Rin held her hand out and revealed a little flea demon. "A flea?" She looked back at Sesshoumaru. _'Sesshoumaru doesn't have fleas, even if he is a dog.' _

_'A flea?'_ "Myouga," Sesshoumaru said, "I thought you were Inuyasha's lap dog now."

Myouga's flat composition faded and he once again was his normal size. "Lord Sesshoumaru," he bowed his head in respect, "I've come with grave news."

"Oh?" He turned away. "I am not in need of your services." Sesshoumaru had no interest in whatever Myouga had to say. He was a coward and served Inuyasha. He had nothing else to say to him, nor wanted to listen.

"But it is concerning the girl."

"Me?" Rin asked. She held him closer to her eyes. "What have you got to tell me? What about me?"

"Rin, the rumors were true. You're an Eouro demon."

"And what's that?"

Myouga was surprised that Rin had no idea what he was talking about. "Well, it's just a type of demon. They're a fierce bunch and only lived to kill others, even if they had no real reason for doing so."

Jaken stepped into the river and tried to find a fish to catch for eating. He had caught some with his bare hands before and wanted to do it again. He was determined to do something useful.

"So go on," Rin said curiously, "tell me more about these demons."

"Well, the demons were killed off by other demons in order to stop them from taking over all of their territories. They were all killed, except for one." Myouga scratched his head. "Now tell me, how did you get your demonic powers?"

Rin shrugged her shoulders. "I am not certain. I remember that there was a demon named Toashiki. She threw me in some kind of lake, but it was too thick to be water. I don't know what it was." Rin tried to remember what she said. It was mostly a blur. "Well, she said something to Naraku…she said it was the strongest demon she had."

"Is that so?" Myouga said.

Sesshoumaru tried to ignore their conversation, but he couldn't ignore "except for one." He knew of that one demon, their leader, the strongest one. Sesshoumaru stood to his feet. "Hurry along, Rin."

Myouga jumped on her shoulder and she stood to face Sesshoumaru. It was amazing looking at him with an older pair of eyes. She didn't have to really look so far up to see his face, which seemed to awe her more than what it used to. "Why, my Lord?"

Jaken was excited that he was able to catch a fish with his bare hands, but his excitement died down with Sesshoumaru's sudden rush to leave and he calmed his composure and asked, "Where are we going my Lord?"

He decided not to wait for them and started walking ahead. "To pay the dead a visit."

"The dead?" Rin asked confused. "What dead? Who?"

"His father?" Jaken asked.

"No," Myouga replied. "To Hikakustu, the leader of the Eouro Clan."

To Be Continued…


	6. Chapter 6: Trap

Chapter 6

I don't own Inuyasha

Rin looked around for Myouga but didn't see him anymore. "Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin asked, "have you seen the flea demon?"

"He flees from danger like a coward. Once he learned where we were going, he left immediately."

"Oh," Rin said softly. "Lord Sesshoumaru, why would Myouga be scared? Are we going somewhere dangerous? I thought we were visiting the dead. If he is dead, then why is it dangerous?"

"He's not dead," Jaken replied. "Stop asking such foolish questions. You're such a foolish child."

Rin grunted and began walking faster until she got right behind Jaken. "I'm not a child!" She lifted her foot up and slammed it down on top of Jaken, crushing him. "You little worm! Stop treating me like I'm a child!"

Sesshoumaru looked back at Rin and Jaken to witness her sudden burst of anger. She had picked on Jaken before, but it was different now. She was enraged! He observed her curiously, wondering if the child would interfere and she would apologize for her actions, or would she simply walk away and pretend like it never happened? Perhaps she wouldn't do either. Perhaps she wouldn't stop at all. She seemed to enjoy crushing Jaken's helpless body under her foot.

_'Why do I care?'_ Why did he care? He didn't care about the well being of Jaken, so the fact that Rin seemed like she would kill Jaken shouldn't have fazed him. So if it wasn't for Jaken's well being, why did he care that Rin was being so different? Wasn't it a good thing? Sure she was a disgrace to demons everywhere, but before she was just a human. She was a sickening human that only got in his way. She would get kidnapped and she'd expect that he would come to rescue her and surprisingly, even to him, he saved her every time. Perhaps her present state and her previous were not that different as far as the level of abhorrence. So why did he care about the way she was acting now?

"Rin."

She took her foot off of him and looked up at Sesshoumaru innocently. "Yes Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"I want you to stay here with Jaken."

Jaken stood to his feet wearily and wiped his eyes so tears wouldn't fall down. "Don't leave me with this insane child!"

Rin grabbed Jaken by his head and began lightly squeezing it. "I could crush your skull Jaken, but I'm not going to. We'll be fine." She dropped him and Jaken cried in pain as he hit the ground and hit his head.

"Cursed wench."

"I'll wait for you Lord Sesshoumaru. Please don't forget to come for me."

He said nothing more and went on his way all by himself. Jaken most certainly did not want to be alone with Rin, especially since she had been so aggressive as of lately. She was going to kill him several times since she had been a half demon and even though he did not want to admit it, he was deathly sacred that she would kill him.

"Master Jaken," Rin asked once Sesshoumaru was out of sight. "Lord Sesshoumaru is a dog demon, but does not look like a dog. Why is that?"

Jaken sighed in relief. He assumed she would go mad with power once more and attempt to kill him. "Lord Sesshoumaru looks very different from his appearance now and once he transforms. When he transforms, he does resemble a giant dog."

"Why does he have two different faces?"

"Many demons do, including Naraku. It's usually the most powerful of demons that have other forms to transform into and once they do, their power increases tremendously. Lord Sesshoumaru transformed is a glorious sight to see."

Rin somehow doubted that. She wasn't quite sure what to think concerning how Sesshoumaru looked transformed besides the words "giant' and "dog." Sesshoumaru most certainly did not look like a dog now. So how was it really possible that he was a dog? And most importantly, what kind of a dog was he? _'No wonder why he is so loyal. Dogs are very loyal to their masters. But Sesshoumaru doesn't have a master. He is his own.'_ She smiled. _'He goes by his own rules and one day, he will have an empire of his own as soon as Naraku is dead.' _"Where do you suppose Naraku is, master Jaken?"

"How should I know?"

Rin sat down on the grass and rested in the shade under a tree. _'Lord Sesshoumaru wishes to kill Naraku for all that he has done. He has abducted me more than once and attempted to absorb him.' _She suddenly became angry, angrier than what she could help, and she punched her hand in the ground and broke through the ground and cracked it for several feet. "I hate him!" she hissed. "I hate that Naraku!" _'He took me and changed me into this demon! I tried to kill Inuyasha, just like Naraku wanted me too. I tried to kill Inuyasha and Lord Sesshoumaru!'_ "I hate him! He turned me into this disgraceful thing, and now Sesshoumaru dislikes me!"

Jaken looked at the damage that just one punch from Rin had caused. "Lord Sesshoumaru will slay Naraku. You needn't worry."

He was right. Sesshoumaru would do anything within his power to kill Naraku and would no matter what, eventually succeed. She couldn't wait though. The anger that she felt was too strong. She had never experienced such hate. It was so dark. "I can't wait that long Jaken! I want him dead now!" Her anger suddenly died down and she stood to her feet and looked around, knowing something was near.

"What is it Rin?" Jaken clasped on to the staff of two heads tightly, thinking that something was coming.

She looked at the trees and the river. The leaves were blowing harshly, looking as if it were crying out for help as the land trembled. The birds, the squirrels, and any other animals around began to run away as the wind blew harder. "Something's coming. I can feel it."

"Really?" Jaken said sarcastically.

"Honestly Jaken, I can…I can sense what's coming. My sight, my hearing, and even my sense for smell have increased greatly. What do you assume that I am not able to sense it? I sense something horrible approaching."

"If something that powerful was coming, then I would be able to sense the demon's aura."

"No," Rin said confidently. "My sense of smell has increased, but wouldn't you agree that no matter what, Lord Sesshoumaru could smell better than me. It's because he's a dog demon."

Jaken turned his head and stuck his nose up arrogantly. "It's because Lord Sesshoumaru is superior to all demons."

"And I agree with you, Master Jaken, but whatever this half demon part of me, the Eouro part of me, it can sense things, even things very far away. Jaken, a demon is coming, a strong demon." Her eyebrows knitted together as she tried to think. "It might be more than one though."

"Make up your mind! Is it one or is it more?"

"I'm not sure Master Jaken. I think it's one, but it's not together, it's like a puzzle. I know I've felt it before. It's very familiar. It reminds me of when I first became a half demon and…"

"And what?" Jaken at first planned to make her ideas sound like nonsense, but now the suspense was beginning to really get to him.

"Naraku is coming." Rin smirked. "And I am going to greet him."

* * *

Sesshoumaru was soaring through the air, trying to get to Hikakustu's resting place before Rin did anything else to Jaken or anyone else. _'Naraku's plan has backfired. Does he have a backup? Scheming is his specialty, but he doesn't always think of everything. He wasn't expecting Inuyasha to be able to break through a barrier the day he tried to absorb me.'_

Sesshoumaru grunted at the thought. _'Inuyasha was able to make the Tetsusaiga blade red. How a pitiful half demon like that could accomplish something like breaking a demon's barrier is beyond me.'_ Sesshoumaru then grabbed onto Tokijin. _'If Inuyasha is able to increase the Tetsusaiga's power so that it is able to break through a barrier, then it is also able to do it to Tokijin.'_ He truly did despise the fact that his father left the most valuable of his treasures to half demon, just born the day he died. Inuyasha obviously had no potential to succeed. _'Why would you give the Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha and not me, ather?'_ The thought often plagued his mind over and over again. He hated the fact that his brother possessed such a powerful sword that by right should have been his. He's the elder, full-blooded son and yet he got the Tenseiga, a sword of healing. _'I don't need the Tenseiga. It makes no sense to why I inherited this useless sword.'_

He saw the land beneath him take a dramatic change for the worse and he knew it was time to land. There was not a tree in sight, the scent of the air had changed, and only a dark demonic presence could be felt. There was no life among the dark lands. While he was landing, he was able to spot his father's giant fang. It was still much larger than his fangs. _'I wanted to challenge him one day. I wanted to test my strength against him so I could truly say that I am the most powerful demon. Inuyasha took that chance from me, Inuyasha and his worthless mother.'_

Once he had made his graceful landing, he made his way towards the fang and witnessed the sight of it. Sesshoumaru honored his father above all and had even planned from the time he was a boy to challenge his father so he could be known as the greatest demon ever known. His father earned that title, and Sesshoumaru wanted it as well. Seeing his father's fang only made him hate his brother more.

The fang was stuck inside a hill that was covered with a demonic aura. _'This is the place where my father put an end to the Eouro Clan. This is where Hikakustu lays to rest.'_ Sesshoumaru looked up above him and saw a familiar face sitting on top of the fang at the very top. "I knew that you would come here."

Naraku only began to chuckle lightly. "This is the place where Hikakustu lays dormant, am I right? This is where your father sent him into oblivion?"

"This will be your resting place as well, Naraku."

He only began to chuckle more.

"And what is so funny, Naraku?"

"I knew you'd come."

"I find it amusing that you still came, even knowing that today you would die."

"You cannot kill what is not real."

Sesshoumaru understood perfectly what was going on. He quickly made his way towards Naraku and cut of his head with hardly any effort. When Naraku's head fell on the ground, it suddenly turned into dust and the puppet was broken. _'Rin'_

* * *

"Now's the time for me to seek revenge on Naraku, master Jaken."

"Do you honestly believe that you are able to take him?"

Rin looked deep within the shadows of the forest and saw Naraku, cloaked in his usual baboon skin. "It doesn't matter if I do or don't master Jaken, he's already here, probably to finish me off."

"Why, hello Rin. How are things going with you and Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Rin cracked her knuckles and prepared to strike him. "You took my childhood and my humanity away! You made me into a monster! I tried to kill him!"

"That was the point. I was really hoping that you would be able to kill Lord Sesshoumaru, but you didn't quite meet my objective. You, Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru are still very much alive, unfortunately. One of you should have died."

"Well I'm glad that your silly plan backfired. You're going to pay today for what you've done to me! I tried to kill Lord Sesshoumaru!" She felt her heart beating faster and tears forming in her eyes. "I'll never forgive you for doing this!"

He only began laughing sadistically. "You may have the body of a woman, but are still indeed a child. You are so naïve."

"And what's so naïve about me?" She wiped her tears away and the anger within her heart began to consume her and change her into something she couldn't stop. _'My head is spinning. I can't take being so angry.'_

"You speak to me as if I actually care about your well being, as if I would actually feel sorry for what I had done. Well I am sorry, sorry that you didn't feel the true magnitude of pain that I had in store for you." He took off his baboon cloak and revealed his body, not his disgusting form, but the form that he had worked so hard to accomplish by collecting thousands of demons, rejecting what he didn't need, and taking the stronger parts.

"I'm not scared of you Naraku."

"And I never assumed you were. I didn't come here to scare you; I came here to kill you."

Her heart was beating so fast and things were getting so cloudy, so dark. _'I feel it taking over again. I feel it. I…'_ Her awareness began to disappear and all she could feel was the demon inside her. "Naraku!" she hissed. "Naraku!" Her aura began to grow greatly and especially surrounded her hands. "Die!" She jumped to Naraku and began blasting him over and over again, just trying to kill him anyway possible not because he made her a monster, but because she was the monster. She just wanted to kill.

_'Her eyes'_ Jaken was hiding behind a bush, watching the action curiously. _'Her eyes are filled with rage. She's completely been taken over by the demon aura within her body.'_

Naraku smirked. _'Yes, it's just like I expected. She can't handle the demon within. Even though she was able to remember who she was, she still isn't in total control. She could still easily turn on Sesshoumaru and kill him.' _

Rin had blasted him over and over again and nothing but smoke could be seen. Rin waited for the smoke to clear before she continued attacking Naraku, but she became bored rather quickly and turned her sights towards Jaken. _'Kill Jaken?__ Yes, kill Jaken.'_ "Jaken," she said quietly and tauntingly.

_'She's going to kill me.'_ He backed away at first, but then stood his ground and prepared to shoot her with fire from the staff of two heads. _'If I hurt her, Lord Sesshoumaru would scold me!'_

"Master Jaken," her taunt was even more deadly.

"Come any closer and you'll regret it."

Rin only laughed sadistically, but then stopped her assault on Jaken and turned her sights back to Naraku once the smoke cleared and she saw that he was fine, safely within his barrier. Rin cracked her knuckles and growled louder. Her aura surrounded her more than before and she yelled out in anger as she began blasting Naraku once again and again until she couldn't see him any more. She stopped for only a moment though. She was able to sense that he was not dead and gathered all of the energy that she possessed within her body and concentrated it into one blast at Naraku.

"Rin!" Jaken began to run away to get away from the aftershock but was blown away and crashed into a tree and was knocked out.

Rin waited impatiently for the smoke to clear, but before she could see Naraku in her sight again, she felt her head spinning, but her mind began to clear again and the demon influence in her mind began to slowly fade away into nothing. Her eye sight began to decrease and she thought for a moment she was going blind, but she could still see, but not like before. She even thought she was going deaf. She felt like she practically was. _'What's going on? Am I sick?_' She couldn't smell anymore, not like she could a second ago. _'Am I dying?'_ She dropped to her knees, feeling so weak. "W-what's wrong with me?"

The barrier was down and Naraku was injured, but not enough to slow him down. He easily put the barrier back up again. "This isn't what I expected. I was actually going to absorb you and then take out what I didn't need. One can never have too much power, but now you won't do me any good. I need to kill you now."

Rin looked at her hands. Her claws were gone. "I'm a…I'm a…"

"You're no use to me as a human." He stepped forward to her and his wound closed rapidly. "Isn't it ironic? You wanted to kill me for giving you this demon power, and now you need it to fight against me."

Rin felt weak and helpless. She got her wish of being human again, but now, now she missed it. She wished she still had that power. _'Lord Sesshoumaru._' "Lord Sesshoumaru!"

"Now you die."

To be continued…


	7. Chapter 7: Visions

Chapter 7

I don't own Inuyasha

Rin began to panic. _'Where are you Lord Sesshoumaru? I need you here with me! I'm in trouble!'_

"Do you really think Sesshoumaru will come for you? He despises humans, and half breeds most of all. He is displeased with his brother Inuyasha. What makes you so special that he wouldn't bare his fangs against you?"

Rin backed away, planning on making a get away as soon as she could. "Lord Sesshoumaru would never hurt me! He's protected me and always comes to rescue me when I'm in trouble. He won't forsake me!"

"If that's true, then why is he about to let you die?" Naraku reached out his hands towards Rin and she closed her eyes.

"Feel the wrath of the staff of two heads!" Jaken twirled his staff and then hit it against the ground, making fire go flying towards Naraku's direction. While Naraku was engulfed in the flames, Rin opened his eyes and ran behind Jaken.

"Master Jaken!"

"Stay behind me Rin!"

"I'm so sorry Master Jaken!"

The flames didn't do anything to Naraku and he once again made his way to Rin. _'I cannot defeat him, but I cannot flee. Lord Sesshoumaru would be upset if I allowed Rin to be killed by his sworn enemy. I have to keep her alive somehow, as well as myself.' _

"It is pointless to resist" Naraku said confidently. "Sesshoumaru isn't coming for you."

_'I have to stand my ground!'_ "Feel the staff's power!" Jaken shot out flames once more, but it didn't hold him off at all.

"Let's go, Master Jaken!" Rin grabbed Jaken's hand amd began to run with him, but she was so much taller than him that she just ended up carrying him in an attempt to get away faster. "Lord Sesshoumaru will save us!"

"Lord Sesshoumaru has left to see Hikakustu's resting place. It is very far away. Even if he wanted to, he's too far away to come to rescue us."

"You're wrong Master Jaken! I know he'll come! I can feel it!"

"How is that possible? You don't have any demonic powers."

"I don't need any demonic powers to tell me that my Lord is coming for me!" _'I know he'll come for me. I just know he...' _"Ah!" Rin felt Naraku's arm grab a hold of the back of her neck. She would have cried out in pain if she had the air to do so. She dropped Jaken and tried to motion him to escape, but he wouldn't abandon her. Not when Sesshoumaru would probably do mean things to him if Rin were killed. _'Please, Lord Sesshoumaru!' _

Naraku's arm had extended greatly in order to grab Rin, but now he was pulling his arm back so that he could look into her eyes as she died. "Rin!" Jaken yelled. Just as he was done yelling her name, a blast came from a distance, cutting off Naraku's arm. Rin fell down and quickly removed the hand that had a hold of her neck and looked to where the blast came from. "Ah-Un!" Rin ran to Jaken and picked him up again.

"Unhand me at once! You're the child, so stop treating me like one!"

"I'm trying to save your life, Master Jaken. If you don't like it, then that's too bad!" She ran to Ah-Un as he blasted Naraku again. She almost made it, but then Naraku extended his arm again and grabbed her leg, making her fall and hit her head on a rock. She lost a hold of Jaken and she was pulled away from him towards Naraku. She was barely conscious and could feel blood running down her head. Ah-Un blasted Naraku again, but it wasn't having an effect anymore.

"Rin!" Jaken cried.

"Help me! Master Jaken! Master Jaken!"

Jaken ran to her and struck Naraku's long arm with the staff, but then Naraku used the other hand to strike Jaken, and Jaken was knocked into another tree, once again, knocked unconscious. "Master Jaken!"

Naraku grabbed Rin's neck with his free hand and held her eye level to him and stared into her frightened eyes. "Looks like no one's coming to save you."

Rin cried out in pain when she felt Naraku's hands go into her gut. "Ahhhh! Lord Sesshoumaru!" Tears came to her eyes, and even though she didn't want to cry in front of Naraku, she couldn't help it. Tears rolled down her cheeks and the tears didn't stop. "Naraku! It doesn't matter if you kill me! Lord Sesshoumaru will save me! He's saved me from the grip of death before, and he'll do it again. Lord Sesshoumaru is too powerful for you to handle. He and the one's he allows to be, are immortal. He won't let me die! He won't let me!" Rin began to feel cold. She could barely keep her eyes open_. 'It can't be the end! I have to see you again, my Lord. I don't care if it's just once more!' _"Lord Sesshoumaru." She closed her eyes, ready to embrace her death. She didn't feel like she could hold on, not if he wasn't there by her side.

Naraku dropped Rin's body. "Are you dead already? Humans are fragile."

"Naraku!"

Naraku looked up just in time to feel his body part being scattered across the land. The attack almost hit Rin, but thankfully, only Naraku was hit. "You won't escape this time."

Rin looked up and saw her Lord and tears came to her eyes again. "I knew you'd come, Lord Sesshoumaru. I never doubted, not once." She held her wound and rose to her feet. She was in much pain and thought that she couldn't go on, but she found the strength to walk to her Lord's side. "Lord Sesshoumaru." She winced in pain. "Jaken is hurt too."

Sesshoumaru looked at her wound. "Get on Ah-Un and leave this place."

Naraku's body turned into a tornado of Miasma and his laughter could be heard. "Well Lord Sesshoumaru, it seems that you have once again managed to save the mortal girl again. I promise you though, she won't always be so lucky."

"You've escaped before Naraku, but you won't today."

Rin winced in pain again and felt her body losing all of its functions. "I...I can't move." Rin began to fall back, but was caught by Sesshoumaru's arm. She smiled as she looked into his eyes. "L-lord Sesshoumaru, thank you...for everything." She closed her eyes, unable to stay awake. She couldn't.

Sesshoumaru could still feel warmth on her body, but it was becoming colder. He could still hear her breathing, but barely. Even her heart beat was fading. Sesshoumaru looked up to see that Naraku was gone. _'He's escaped again.' _"Jaken," Sesshoumaru called out, but he didn't answer. Sesshoumaru sat Rin down gently on the grass and placed Tokijin in its proper spot. He couldn't do two things at once, especially with his other arm missing. Usually he could manage fine without his other arm, but that didn't mean that he would rather be without it.

Rin's blue Kimono was being ruined so quickly by her own blood. Sesshoumaru grabbed her wrist and checked her pulse. It was faint and slowing down. He touched the wound and grunted in anger. _'Naraku was able to use her once again to make his escape, even though that wasn't his original intention. He wanted to kill her.' _Sesshoumaru looked at the blood that stained his hand. _'It would be easier to let her die and use the Tenseiga to revive her. But then again, wouldn't it just be better to let her stay dead?'_

It would solve his most recent problems. He wouldn't have to save her anymore. He wouldn't have to deal with her new disgraceful from, or her disgusting human state. It could be how things were before. Yes, that would solve most of his problems not the biggest though. It would only make Naraku happy.

He watched her wince in pain and then moan lightly. She did something that never happened to him usually. She startled him. The look of pain in her face was something he wasn't used to seeing. Sure he saw it on the face of his victims, but it was different now. Somehow, someway, it was different. It would be easier to let her die, but to watch didn't seem like something that he could do, which surprised him greatly. He didn't know why he couldn't just leave her there to die. She was just a human, and yet he couldn't leave her to die.

He noticed her sudden change from the last time he saw her but really didn't pay much attention to it until now. Maybe he convinced himself that her being a grown woman was part of the spell that made her a half demon, but now she was human, and she was still a grown woman. Her usual human stench returned to her, but he had gotten used to it over the period of time they shared together. With her eyes and mouth closed, the only true physical differences that could be shown were the claws. He didn't know if her half demon appearance was better or her human one. They were both utterly beneath him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken was holding his head with one hand and the staff of two heads with the other. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken yelled out in pain once a stone hit him right between the eyes. It was so fast that it hurt worse than being knocked into the tree. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" He feared for his life, seeing that Sesshoumaru was highly upset with him. _'He is upset that Rin is hurt. He's blaming me!' _

"When did she become a human again?"

Jaken rubbed the mark on his head that was caused by the stone Sesshoumaru just threw. "She blasted Naraku with a giant force and then when I awoke, she was human!"

Sesshoumaru stared back down at her face. It wasn't as disgusting as he originally thought. It wasn't very displeasing at all. "Then perhaps it's just a short term effect."

Jaken gulped. "Meaning she'll become a demon again?"

"Don't fear a half breed, especially a female half breed, Jaken."

Jaken noticed the wound and stepped closer to Rin. "Will you let her die, my Lord?"

Sesshoumaru was still trying to figure that out. She looked like she was in so much pain. _'Should I save her now?'_ Sesshoumaru stood to his feet and grabbed Rin with his arm and held her close.

"You'll save her, my Lord?"

Rin opened her eyes for a moment to see Sesshoumaru's face, but then it began to blur. She had felt that way before, the pain that she was feeling. She felt it when she died, and she was scared that she was going to die again. _'I shouldn't be scared. Sesshoumaru would resurrect me. Wouldn't he?'_ She closed her eyes and lost consciousness.

"I don't want Naraku to have the satisfaction of killing Rin, not even for a moment."

"Isn't it too late to save her, my Lord?"

He didn't answer. He wasn't sure what he could do, nor what he would do.

"Lord...Lord Sesshoumaru..." Rin mumbled in her sleep.

_Rin opened her eyes to see one of her brothers staring her in the face. She was so startled that she screamed. "Ah! Lord Sesshoumaru!"_

_"Who's that?" he asked playfully. "You haven't been dreaming again, have you Rin?"_

_"Rin," her mother called. "Is she awake?" Her mother walked into the room with her father behind, smiling, along with another little boy at his side. "She is awake."_

_"It was all a dream?" Rin looked at her hands. They were the small child hands from long ago, with no claws, just her stubby little nails. She pulled off the blanket that covered her body and saw that she was not in the blue kimono that her Lord had given to her, but instead, she was wearing the one she had the day she met Sesshoumaru. It was battered and red, but now it was different. It looked brand new. "But where is Lord Sesshoumaru?" she asked quietly. "I didn't make him up. I know I didn't!"_

_She shook her head in fear and doubt. "No! I'm so confused!"_

_"Don't be," said her mother with much comfort in her voice. "Sweety, it's okay. Everything's going to..." her mother suddenly fell to the ground, and soon, her brothers and father did the same. Rin backed away in horror, not being sure what was going on. There were no bandits that killed them. It was only her in the room. _

_"Momma!"__ Rin began to feel a burning, a burning deep within her heart and then all around her body. "Ahhh!" She held her head, trying to resist it from taking over her again. "No! Someone please help me! Someone! Anyone!" Her hands began to suddenly grow, and then her legs, arms, neck, and feet. Her hips began to widen and her breast grew. All of her senses suddenly increased, including her sense of smell. "What's that smell?" She sniffed again. "Blood?" She looked down at her hands, her soft adult fingers with claws and blood. She looked at her family, covered in blood. "No!" She shook her head. "I didn't do this. I didn't do it!"_

_She stood to her feet and began to tremble. "I don't want it to be this way! Lord Sesshoumaru! Master Jaken! Where are you?" In a panic, she ran past the bodies and out of her home. Everything was different outside. She could smell wolves. _

_"Thank you for sparing me" said one demon to another._

_"You fool," with a flick of the demon's wrist, the wounded and frightened demon was dead, killed by the wolf demon's claws. The demon turned to his pack of wolves and Rin clearly saw his face._

_"That's the demon!" she said quietly to herself. "That's the wolf demon!" Tears came to her eyes; she was in so much dismay. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" She cried. She just wanted to hide in his care, knowing that he'd protect her from anything. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" She shut her eyes and waited for the worst to happen, but nothing attacked her. She opened them once again and quickly glanced at the wolf demon and what he had in his hand. "A sacred jewel shard?"_

_The wolf demon then ran away, but then the wolves began ravaging the village, killing everything they could and then eating it. Even though Rin had the power to defeat them, she ran. She couldn't help it. They still terrified her and her Lord wasn't around. "I just have to get to him! He's near! I just have to get to him before I-ahh!" Rin felt something underneath her, something that made her fall. She looked behind her and didn't see any wolves. "I outran them." She looked underneath her to see what she had tripped on and she began to panic again. Rin backed away and began panting for air in fear and confusion. "Master Jaken!"_

_"Rin."_

_"Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin was wearing her blue kimono again, but it was ruined. It was stained with the blood of her family and with Jaken's as well. "I can't let him see me in Jaken's blood. He'll be angry with me." She began to sob as she touched Jaken's slashed face. "Oh Master Jaken. I'm so sorry!"_

_"Rin."_

_Rin lifted her head up to see Sesshoumaru above her, with anger and impatience in his eyes. "I...I didn't mean to. Please believe me, Lord Sesshoumaru!"_

_Sesshoumaru didn't seem to believe her. "Rin."_

"Please believe me Lord Sesshoumaru!"

_Sesshoumaru stepped closer to Rin and reached for his sword, the Tokijin.__ "You've left me no other choice."_

_"What? Lord Sesshoumaru, please don't do this!" She began to sob even more than before. "Why are you doing this? Why is this happening to me? This is all because of Naraku! It's his fault!" _

_"Rin," she heard from a distant voice. It was a male's voice, a male from far, far away. It was a deceptive voice, such a sweet and manipulative voice, one that she enjoyed to hear and one that she couldn't resist to follow. "Rin," he whispered again. "Come to me, Rin." It was so dark and rich. Part of her was frightened, while the other part was just...indulged. "Come to me, Rin."_

_She looked back behind her. "The voice, it's coming from the village." She looked back up to Sesshoumaru, but he was gone. Not even his scent was there. "Where did you go?"_

_"Rin!" _

_She stood back to her feet. "But the wolves."_

"You're strong enough to defeat them."

_She wiped her tears away, but she began crying again. "And what about Master Jaken?"_

_"It needed to be done."_

_"But where's my Lord?"_

_"He'll be gone soon. Come to me."_

_"I don't want him gone!"_

_"Come to me!"_

_Rin gulped. She knew it wasn't right, but deep down, something wanted to go. Something needed to see the man with the tempting voice. Before she knew it, she had taken one step, and then another. Soon she was running back to the village. "Where are you?" she screamed. Everyone in the village was dead, but the scent of wolves wasn't there, nor were there bite marks on the victims. There was nothing but claw marks everywhere. Rin looked at her hands, and began to cry yet again. "Why are my hands stained with their blood? I didn't kill anyone!"_

_"But you want to," said the man as he suddenly appeared in front of her with a smirk on his face. He was handsome indeed and looked about her age. His eyes were a dark red and his hair was jet black and a little past his shoulders. His form was slim, but he was very muscular and tall. Even his skin looked perfect. Not even one imperfection. But the most distinctive thing about him was his aura. His demonic aura was astounding. It sent chills down her spine. She couldn't move, even though she wanted to run in fear. "Rin," he took her hand and kissed it gently, then began to stroke it. "Release me." His lips were so soft, and though his hands were rough and strong, they were warm and familiar. _

_"Release you?" Her voice quivered from dread._

_"Wake me from my slumber." He pulled her closer and turned her body, so that her back was upon his muscular chest. "Wake me so that my Clan can rise to its former glory."_

_"Hikakustu?" she questioned. She began to shake._

_"Yes," he said gently. "You will assist in my arrival."_

_She stared up into his face and he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I will do no such thing."_

_He only chuckled. "Look ahead of you."_

_She didn't want to. Too many horrible things had been happening, and she didn't want to be responsible for any more. She closed her eyes. "I won't!" She turned her head forward. "I don't want anything else bad happening to me today! I don't want to hurt anyone else."_

_"You didn't."_

_With those words, she was able to find the courage to open her eyes. As long as she still had her Lord..."No!" She dropped to her knees. "No!" Sesshoumaru's body was in front of her. His kimono was ruined, stained with his blood, ripped in some places, burned in others. The armor spikes that rested on his shoulder were gone, the armor that protected his chest and back was broken, and his beautiful eyes were now lifeless. "You said I didn't hurt anyone else!"_

_"And you didn't."_

_Rin stopped crying and felt a pang of anger come over her. She looked up at him and saw his smile, his blood thirsty smile. _

_"I did that." _

"No!" When she awoke, she was able to hear the sound of Jaken's ramblings. When she opened her eyes, she saw that it was indeed Jaken, talking to himself about his woes. Rin smiled, seeing her companion safe. Rin then began to panic and rose up to find he Lord. "Where is Lord Sesshoumaru? Where is he?"

"He just left off for a moment. He wanted to try and find Naraku, so he went to try and pick out his scent."

Rin calmed down and touched her wound. "Who fixed me?" she asked. "I thought I was going to die."

"I was able to find some herbs to stop the infection, with the assistance of the staff of two heads."

"Oh," she said gently, resting her back on the grass. "Thank you Master Jaken. I am grateful." She felt something under her kimono, covering the wound. "What is that?"

"Some leaves and herbs. I didn't have the proper medical supplies to take care of you Rin." _'Nor did I really want to. I don't understand why Sesshoumaru wanted to save her life. She's the one who got us into this mess.' _"Don't move around much or you'll open up the wound."

"Thank you master Jaken. Thank you." She smiled.

Jaken turned his head from her. _'Lord Sesshoumaru would be angry with me if Rin was to die, even though he could easily resurrect her.'_ He looked at her once more. _'I don't understand why he keeps her around. What good could a mortal like that do? She's even worse as a half demon. She's nothing but trouble.'_

"Do you think I will ever become a half demon again, Master Jaken?" Rin looked frightened and she was. She had easily enough made enemies. Maybe there were more to come. What could she do if they were to come for her and Sesshoumaru wasn't around? _'He'll always save me. He has to.'_ But then she remembered her dream. _'That demon, he killed Lord Sesshoumaru. How is that possible? No demon can kill him. That's what he told me.'_ "Do you know when he'll be back?"

Jaken noticed the worry in her voice and eyed her questionably. "What business of it is yours? He'll return when he sees fit!"

"But I had a nightmare, Jaken." She struggled not to cry.

"What are you blubbering about? You wish to be treated highly and thought of as a grown woman and when you get the chance to prove yourself, you act as a child." Jaken was half expecting to get electrocuted, but of course, he didn't.

Rin heard Sesshoumaru walking, even though he walked so lightly. Even though she wasn't a half demon anymore, she still possessed sharp senses for a human. You had to, traveling with demons. "You're back!" She was relieved more than anything. Her smile faded and a look of agony quickly came over her. "Lord Sesshoumaru, does Hikakustu still lay dormant?"

After all of the events that had occurred in that day, he certainly wasn't expecting a conversation to rise about Hikakustu. He thought there would be little mentioning of Naraku and then she would continue to be herself, picking flowers, singing ridiculous songs, and happily humming along his side. "It's not your concern."

"But" she began to whimper "I had a nightmare about him. I saw him."

"That's impossible," exclaimed Jaken. "There is no possible that you could be…"

"Rin," Sesshoumaru said, interrupting Jaken.

"Yes my Lord?"

"Hikakustu still lays dormant and will remain that way until the ends of time."

"But are you certain my Lord? Are you positive that he will never rise again?"

Sesshoumaru was becoming impatient. She never questioned him before. "There's no way my father's seal can be broken. The only way for Hikakustu to be awakened is for the fang to be removed."

"The Tenseiga cannot break it," Jaken said. "Only the Tetsusaiga, the fang of destruction could do such a thing. Inuyasha wouldn't destroy the seal. He has no quarrel with Hikakustu." Jaken sighed. "But then again, he didn't have one with Ryuukotsusei either."

Sesshoumaru grabbed a hold of Tokijin. _'I would kill Inuyasha before I'd let him break the seal.' _

_'The Shikon jewel'_ Rin thought to herself. _'Why did I dream of that? What was its purpose?'_ She sat back down and rested her head against a tree once more. _'It was probably nothing. It was just a dream, after all.'_

To be continued…


	8. Chapter 8: Jaken's Plot

Chapter 8

I don't own Inuyasha or Fukai Mori a.k.a. Deep Forest

Rin was ridding on top of Ah-Uh, still in pain from the attack from Naraku that had happened three days ago. She was still scared to be alone, so she didn't really ask to go off on her own like she usually would. Before, she lived in ignorant bliss. Now she was older and lived alone for such a long time. She was scared of being alone, because she knew it was possible that she could be separated from her precious Lord and that scared her above all things that could be inflicted by Naraku. "I am hungry," she muttered to herself, but Jaken managed to hear it and sighed at first, and then growled.

"Weren't you hungry a little while ago?"

"Yes, but it was yesterday. People need to eat everyday, Master Jaken. If I don't get what I need, I could wither away and die."

_'Would solve my problems if you did,'_ Jaken thought to himself.

_'I am so very hungry, but I don't want to make Sesshoumaru upset. I have slowed him down lately. I don't wish to do anything else that would damage him, not after that scary dream that I had.'_ "Master Jaken, could you fetch me something?" She was too scared to go out on her own, and too weak as well. "Please, Master Jaken! I need you to help me."

"I will not."

"Get her something," commanded Sesshoumaru.

_'But why? Why does Lord Sesshoumaru always take her side? Not only does he want me to go, but he wants me to go alone? This isn't fair! Why does he insist on having a mortal at his side? She's not a child anymore and is well able to take care of herself!'_ There was no point in arguing. Jaken would only be beaten ruthlessly by Sesshoumaru and then Jaken would have to do what was commanded of him anyway. "Yes, my Lord," he said restless. He loved to serve Sesshoumaru, but he didn't want to become Rin's lap dog as well. _'This girl has become nothing but trouble, ever since she became a demon. Even now when she is not a half breed, she's still making my life miserable. How is it that she managed that?'_

Rin yawned and stretched as Jaken left, but then grunted in pain from her wound. "Ahh…" she touched the brown stain on her kimono. She wasn't able to get all of the blood out. "My wound still hasn't healed up."

"And it won't if you continue to move around so much" Sesshoumaru said walking on.

"You don't want to wait for Jaken, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

He didn't answer. He just continued walking on.

_'I suppose Jaken can take care of himself, but that's all he can do from what I've seen. He wasn't strong enough at all to protect me when Naraku came to kill me. If it was not for my dear lord, then I would have been slain by Naraku.'_ Rin started humming to herself. The sweetness of the music began to come back to her. The last time she sang, she felt so foolish for doing such a childish thing. _'I guess it's not because I was a woman. I didn't like music because I was the demon.'_ She looked on to her lord and couldn't help but wonder. _'So, do all demons hate music, or is it just me?_' She began to hum again.

Sesshoumaru's sensitive ears couldn't help but notice Rin's voice. He had heard her sing before and he could manage to stand it for a little while, but when she did it a lot, he told her to be quiet, and she happily obeyed him. Now it was different. The notes were so much more complex than what her childish mind could come up with before. It was then that he really noticed another feature that had changed: her voice. It was so much more mature than before, not the annoying and yet sweet sound of a child, but the lustrous voice of a young woman. He could bear her humming much longer than he could when she was a child. He couldn't help but wonder what her voice would sound like if she was to open her mouth and actually sing...

_'He hasn't told me to be quiet as of yet. Do I sound better older? I haven't really paid attention to how my voice has changed. It is very different. I wonder what I would sound like if I sang…' _Rin was about to open her mouth and Sesshoumaru noticed her sudden stop and glanced quickly behind to watch her for a brief moment. Rin blushed. _'Oh, I suppose he is sick of me rambling on.'_ When he turned around without saying anything to her, she got up the courage and opened her mouth. "We live our lives wandering to the ends of the earth. Believing, now I begin my journey with you, in search of the light. We live out lives wandering to the ends of the earth. Closing off the way back, we walk on for eternity. We live out lives standing frozen to the spot, unable to cry out, for eternity."

Her voice was actually soothing, not one bit annoying. He decided he wouldn't tell her to be quiet, at least not yet, but she stopped singing after that. "Oh, so you've finally decided to stop your insistent jabbering?"

Rin put her head down. _'I guess I did annoy him.'_

Sesshoumaru decided to continue on with his own business and stop thinking about Rin and her little song. _'Interesting…'_ At least he tried to stop thinking about her, but her little outbreak of song didn't seem fitting. _'She doesn't have the mind of a girl, but she should at least have the knowledge of one.' _He glanced back at her. _'There's too much of a dramatic difference between now and the other song she sings.'_

_'Why does he keep looking at me?'_ She blushed without meaning too. _'Did I do something wrong?'_

_'Perhaps there's more than what meets the eye.' _Sesshoumaru then decided to turn around and stop paying attention to her or even think about her. He found it disturbing that he knew the words to her silly little child song, and could remember every single line that she just recently said. Sure he had a great memory, but was she worth remembering?

_"Lord Sesshoumaru,"_ he remembered her say _"promise me that when I die, you won't forget about me."_

He let the memory slip away. _'Foolish girl.'_

"Where is Master Jaken?" Rin asked restlessly. Her stomach began to growl and she held it. "I'm starving." She winced in pain. She had to remember not to move too much. Sesshoumaru was right, as always. If she wasn't still, she wouldn't heal. _'My lord truly is kind._' She sighed in happiness. _'He's always there for me. I can always depend on him.' _

Now he was annoyed. Her girlish sighs made him uncomfortable and it began to irritate him. Some time alone to think about Naraku and supposedly a new foe coming was what he needed. "Rin, go find Jaken and accompany him. It is your food that he's getting."

Rin was still weak from three days ago, but who was she to resist the commands of her lord? "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru!" She lightly patted Ah-Un on its behind and it turned around and started walking back to find Jaken.

Sesshoumaru watched her leave, making sure she wasn't in harms way. _'Maybe there's more to Naraku's plan than her simply just becoming a demon and trying to kill me.'_

"Master Jaken," Rin called, entering a forest that she had just got out of. "Oh Master Jaken, where are you?" Rin stepped off of Ah-Un when she started to hear Jaken mumble to himself. She was in pain still from Naraku's attack, but she tried to be strong. She wanted to impress her lord and also, Jaken. He still saw her as an annoying child. "Master Jaken," she said looking behind a tree and saw him mumbling to himself. "What's the matter?" she asked.

"You're the matter" he mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing, now you pick out something to eat so I can accompany my lord."

"I think he wants to be alone for a little while." She carefully sat down next to Jaken, trying not to open her wound. "He seems a little upset."

"I'd be upset if I were him. You've caused a lot of trouble for him!"

Rin's shoulders slumped and she knitted her eyebrows together. "I know Master Jaken. I didn't mean for any of this to happen." She stood to her feet and was able to find a smile. "But I think he's probably more upset with you, Master Jaken!"

She was certainly glad that she wasn't to blame but Jaken rose up and went into a panic. "What do you mean Lord Sesshoumaru is angry at me?"

She stopped smiling and answered in all seriousness. "The truth is master Jaken that you haven't really served Lord Sesshoumaru, at least not from what I see."

"What do you mean? I do many great things for Lord Sesshoumaru!" He held out his staff of two heads. "Lord Sesshoumaru gave this to me because he believed that I would be able to wield it and because I can, he has let me go on a journey with him. You however are of no use to him."

"But I am very strong as a half demon. I can help him."

"You've fought him more than you've fought beside him. Besides, just because you may be strong enough to help lord Sesshoumaru doesn't means he needs your help."

She became offended and crossed her arms. "The same with you, I suppose."

Jaken's mouth dropped. _'How could she say that?'_ "I do great things for Lord Sesshoumaru and now I'll prove to you that I can do anything. I'm going to steal Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga and I'm going to give it to my lord!"

"But you've tried that before."

"This time, it's going to work because I'm not going to ask you to do anything. You let go of the Tetsusaiga and cost me it. Now I'm not going to depend on you. You just sit back and watch while I take Inuyasha's precious sword!"

_'Oh boy…'_

An hour later and they had already managed to find Inuyasha traveling with his friends, just right outside the forest. They were beginning to set up camp so the could spend a night. Miroku was building a fire while Kagome was getting out a few supplies from her backpack. "I wish there was a hot spring around," Kagome said. "I feel so dirty."

Jaken smiled and whispered to Rin "Now, here's my chance."

"Going to use the same trick twice? Good for you. They won't expect that."

Jaken grumbled. "Wait here." He ran off somewhere and Rin didn't have the patience to wait for him.

_'Should I just let him take Inuyasha's sword?'_ She sighed, thinking about her lord. _'He gave Master Jaken the staff of two heads. Will he give me a weapon one day?' _She smiled. _'Oh that would be wonderful. If only he would! I would cherish it and put it to good use, even more than what Jaken does with his staff.'_ She decided to stop hiding behind a tree. _'He's not going to give me anything unless he sees that I can wield it. He has to see potential.'_

"Whose there?" Inuyasha asked. He was able to pick up a scent, but paid no mind to it since it was human. But now he heard her break a twig and then suddenly cared, since he recognized the scent. "I know who you are, just come out."

Rin put her head down and stepped out of the forest and revealed herself to Inuyasha and his friends. "H…hello" she said nervously.

"It's the girl who attacked us," Shippo said.

Kagome stopped worrying about dinner and paid more attention to the girl in front of her. "She's not a half demon anymore. She's a human again."

"Still a grown woman," Miroku added in. He approached her and took her hand. "If you don't mind, I'd like to hear your origin."

Sango whacked Miroku upside his head. "What's your deal? She was just a little girl!"

"No I wasn't," Rin added quietly.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha asked. "I've seen you before, and it wasn't ten years ago."

"I know," Rin replied "I can't quiet explain it." She winced in pain from her wound and Kagome ran to assist her.

"You're hurt!"

Rin looked down and the brown spot that was once on her kimono was being replaced by the red color of her blood. "Oh no," she started to panic "I've got to return to Lord Sesshoumaru!"

"I can't let you go off like this!" she said. "I'll patch you up." Kagome took her hand and lead her to a stream. "Don't worry, I'll help you out."

"What does she mean she wasn't a child?"asked Miroku curiously.

"I don't know." Inuyasha said "But I wanna know why she's here."

"Sit down," said Kagome. "I'm gonna get my first aid kit and then I can patch you up."

While Kagome went to get her things, Inuyasha took a seat in front of Rin and crossed his arms. "Okay, so start talking! Why are you here?"

"I wanted to apologize to you and your friends. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." Rin tried to apply pressure to her wound.

"And who hurt you?" Inuyasha asked. "Sesshoumaru didn't…"

"No, he'd never!" She didn't mean to burst out like that, but what Inuyasha was accusing Sesshoumaru of was just crazy. "I was attacked by Naraku."

"Naraku? Where is he?"

"I don't know. I was in and out of consciousness. If it wasn't for Lord Sesshoumaru being there then…" She didn't want to think about it. "I owe him my life."

"Speaking of which," said Kagome while sitting next to Inuyasha. "Why are you traveling with Sesshoumaru?" Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara came to Rin as well. They were also curious.

"Oh," Rin said, "well Lord Sesshoumaru saved my life. You see, a wolf demon came to my village seeking jewel shards. He killed another demon and took the jewel with him. After that, the wolf demon told his pack of wolves to feast, and the villagers were slaughtered. I tried to run to Lord Sesshoumaru thinking that he could help me, but the wolves were to fast, and I was killed."

"Killed?" said Shippo. "But you're alive!"

"Are you telling me that Sesshoumaru used his sword Tenseiga to bring you back from the dead?" Sango asked surprised.

"Yes," Rin nodded, "he did."

"Keh," Inuyasha said, "so wolf demons killed you eh? He was after the jewel shards as well? It had to be Kouga, no doubt in my mind that it was. That's disgusting! How could he kill helpless women and children?"

_'Kogua, how could you?' _Kagome brushed her anger away. _'I know he's stop killing humans since he's met me but still…' _

"One thing still puzzles me though," Miroku said.

"Only one?" Sango crossed her arms, ready to hear what he had to say. It might have been something perverted.

"You said that you thought Sesshoumaru could save you if you got to him. Does that mean that you met him before?"

"Yes, the day before actually. He was wounded and resting in the forest. When I first saw him, he growled at me and his eyes turned red and his fangs were so long…I was frightened at first. But then, he saw it was just a little girl and he calmed down. Then I wasn't scared anymore. I tried to help him, but he didn't want it. He was very cold."

"That's because he doesn't like mortals," Inuyasha blurted out without considering Rin's feelings or how she actually thought of his brother. "He thinks they're insects and nothing more."

"That's not true!" Rin yelled out, which surprised everyone, including herself. "Lord Sesshoumaru has been kind to me and has saved my life on many occasions. He has even forgiven me for…" she put her head down, and lowered her voice "he…he forgave me for trying to kill him." She looked into Inuyasha's baffled eyes. She had to make him understand somehow. He had to know the truth about Sesshoumaru. She wanted him to know that Sesshoumaru did care about her and wasn't mean and cruel like they all thought. "When I lived in my village, the villagers would often beat me. They thought something was wrong with me because I hadn't spoken since my parents and brothers were slaughtered in front of me. I wanted to get Lord Sesshoumaru some fish, so I got some, but the villagers beat me for stealing it out of the pond. They said I wasn't supposed to do that."

"That's terrible!" Kagome whispered forcefully. _'How could they do that to a little girl?'_

"When I brought it to him, he wanted me to leave him alone, but when he looked at me and saw my cuts and bruises, he was concerned." She began to yell out. "I know he was!" She calmed down again. "I saw it in his golden eyes."

_'Wow,'_ thought Kagome _'she seriously believes in Sesshoumaru. She thinks he's a good person.'_

"He asked me what happened and I smiled at him. He said he didn't care, but I knew he did!" She dug her nails into her thighs and put her head down so no one would see her cry. "That's why I knew that he would save me when I was being held captive by Naraku and Toashiki!" She raised her head again so they could see her eyes and see the faith that she had in her lord. "Even though I was alone for so long, I knew he'd come. Deep inside my heart, I knew he'd come!"

Kagome gave Rin a hug and let her cry. "It's okay Rin. It's all alright. Naraku's not going to get you anymore."

_'This is insane!'_ Inuyasha thought to himself. _'She actually believes that Sesshoumaru is a good guy. This doesn't make any sense. Why would he protect her? Why would he bring her back to life with the sword he claims to despise? Why would he ever care about mortals? He hates them! He always has and half breeds even more. She was a mortal and is a half breed now. Why does he still keep her around? It doesn't make any sense.' _

"Guys, leave us for a little bit. I'm gonna patch up her wounds and I don't want you two perverts to see her."

"What did I ever do?" Inuyasha yelled.

"I wouldn't dream of doing anything," Miroku said innocently.

"You too, Shippo," Kagome said.

"Okay." Shippo, Miroku, and Inuyasha walked away so that they could finish making their camp fire.

Miroku was interested in finding out more, but he let it be._ 'The girl is very strange. Somehow, time for her has speed up, but has remained the same pace to her. She's aware of how long it took to make her grow, but the truth is, it didn't take years at all. This demon must have been very powerful if it was able to change reality like that, and only for Rin.' _

"Take your kimono off." Rin did what she was told and Kagome was mortified when she saw the poor attempt to patch Rin up. "Sesshoumaru doesn't seem like the quick fix type of guy."

"It was Jaken," Rin said softly. "The herbs took the pain away and stopped to bleeding. I think he did some sort of magic as well."

Kagome couldn't believe Rin's outstanding body. _'One of the last times I saw her, shewas a short little skinny girl. Now she's a tall Amazon goddess who looks like she's been hanging out with Wonder Woman.' _"All done, just try not to move again too much."

Rin nodded her head. "Thank you Kagome, and I am truly sorry for what I did."

"Don't blame yourself" Sango said placing her hand on Rin's shoulder. "If it was anyone's fault, it's Naraku's. It's all right. We'll stop Naraku."

Kagome quickly cleaned the wound and then patched it up. "We'll get Naraku. You don't have to worry about that."

Rin put her kimono back on. "Sesshoumaru is on a quest to kill Naraku."

"Hey," Inuyasha said, coming towards them, "you said that you met him when a wolf demon came looking for jewel shards?"

"Yes," Rin said. Rin looked at Kagome and noticed that she had jewel shards in a bottle around her neck. _'They are also looking for the sacred jewel.'_ She remembered her dream. _'What does all this mean? What am I supposed to do?' _"The jewel shards increase someone's powers, right?"

"Yeah," Kagome answered. "It's also believed that the jewel could turn a half breed into a full demon. That's why Inuyasha wants it."

"Keh, you must have met Sesshoumaru right after my battle with him."

"Meaning that it was your wind scar that hurt him?" asked Kagome.

"Yes," Inuyasha closed his eyes and smiled.

For some odd reason, Inuyasha was waiting for Rin's shocked and amazed face, knowing how powerful Inuyasha was. "You did that to Lord Sesshoumaru?" No one answered her question, except for Inuyasha's sudden smile growth. It was then that Rin didn't feel so guilty about Jaken's plan to steal the Tetsusaiga. _'They are nice people, but I wonder what would happen if Inuyasha released Hikakustu? Should I even warn him? Would he just go do it anyway? Maybe it's best that the sword gets stolen.' _She smiled herself. _'I can kill two birds with one stone.' _"It was nice meeting all of you again, but I'm afraid I have to go now."

"But you're hurt!" Kagome said. "You can't leave right now."

"But I have to get back to my lord. I only went off to find something to eat and ran into you all."

"Be right back then!" Kagome ran back to the campfire and went inside her back pack and got out a bag of Ranch Doritos.

"But I love those!" Shippo said.

"Rin needs them!" Kagome ran back to Rin. "Here you are. They'll be good to eat until you can find something more satisfying."

"Thank you." Rin smiled brightly. "Don't worry about me. I've got Ah-Un in the forest. We'll be safe and sound."

"But it's dangerous out there" Sango said. "It's best if you travel in the morning."

Rin frowned, but agreed. _'They won't let me leave.'_

After a couple of hours, everyone but Rin was asleep. Even Inuyasha had fallen asleep, but it took him so long for him to actually fall into a deep sleep that the night was almost over. _'Now here's my chance.' _Rin carefully got up and wrote a thank you note in the dirt and then tip toed into the forest where an angry Jaken waited for her. "What is your problem?" he whispered. "You know I was going to steal the Tetsusaiga! Why would you talk to them?"

"I wanted to apologize for attacking them before. Let's go Master Jaken."

Jaken set a bottle down on the ground and did a little short dance. "Not until I get the Tetsusaiga!" He then broke the bottle with the staff of two heads and a white demonic fog began to come out of it. Jaken started laughing, thinking about victory.

Inuyasha picked up the noise and awakened from his slumber, which woke everyone else up. "What's going on?" Kagome asked.

They all started to inhale the gas, and when they tried to run away, they all started stumbling around. They were in such a stupor that they couldn't speak to one another. They could only mumble and only Inuyasha could see and hear clearly, but it didn't help him much. Jaken took advantage of their current situation and tore off on of his sleeves. "Now watch me!" Jaken held his breath and covered his nose with one hand while he held his sleeve with the other. _'I'm going to make Lord Sesshoumaru so proud!' _Jaken then used the sleeve to touch Inuyasha's sword and then ran away while Inuyasha was left reaching for it, but unable to move. "Let's go!"

"Great job, Master Jaken!" When Jaken stood by Rin's side, she took the sword out of his hand and then used the other to throw Jaken to where Inuyasha and his friends where. "Sorry about betraying you and all Master Jaken, but I needed to prove myself to Lord Sesshoumaru and I didn't have the power to do it as a mortal." She laughed to herself and then started running away, getting deeper into the forest as day approached. _'I shouldn't have done that. What's come over me?' _Rin could feel her insides begin to burn. _'Am I becoming the demon again? Is that why I'm acting so strange?' _Was she acting so strange though? She had stolen things before and this time she stole the sword to prove her worth for Lord Sesshoumaru, instead of Jaken getting the credit.

She took a moment to catch her breath. "Ah-Un isn't too far away. I can make it." Rin flinched when she felt the warm touch of a rough hand cover her mouth and tried to scream when it covered her waist.

"A woman," he said smiling. He had a horrible deep voice that frightened her. "I and my men haven't seen a woman in a while."

Rin knew what he was and began to cry.

"Not since we killed some at the last village we raided."

_'Bandits!'_

To be continued…


	9. Chapter 9: The Return

Chapter 9

I don't own Inuyasha

"What's the matter sweetie? Are you scared? I won't bite." He only began to laugh more which scared her above all things. She could deal with demons, but bandits were indeed her worst fear.

Rin dropped the Tetsusaiga and used her hands to try and fight off the bandit as best she could, but she was unable to break free from his grasp. She tried to scream out, but her mouth was covered, so she bit him instead. "Lord Sesshoumaru! Please-"

He covered her mouth again. "You're a silly little girl. I'm going to take you back to my men. Maybe we can have some fun." Her tears came out of her eyes and rolled down onto the hand of the bandit. "Don't cry. I'll treat you right."

* * *

Jaken could feel the effect of the gas beginning to wear off, but he could only hope that it wore off on him before it wore off on Inuyasha. _'I can't believe that Rin betrayed me and stole the Tetsusaiga. She does nothing but cause trouble for me. Why would she ever think she could prove herself to Lord Sesshoumaru? She is not worthy of his time or patience and yet he lets her stay by his side. She believes that she is important. It makes no sense to me. Now she has left me to die. She must surely be punished for this!' _Jaken could feel a hand touch his back and he cried out in fear. "No!"

"You're g…going to pay…" Inuyasha still wasn't back to full senses, but he had enough sense to beat Jaken senseless. "Jaken…"

'_You'll pay for this Rin!'_

* * *

"Look what I brought," said the bandit while throwing Rin on the ground and smirking above her.

"It's a woman!" One said. They were all older than her by many years. They looked cold and as hard as stone. Each and every single last one of them had killed and she could tell by just looking into their stony eyes. They had many battle scars and most of them were muscular. A few were bald, and none of them were attractive. They were too cruel to ever be so. One picked her up and smiled evilly at her. "She's a pretty woman too." He pushed her forward to another man. This one was even more hideous than the other man. Her wound hurt so baldly when she was thrown. She knew she was bleeding.

"Someone help!" she screamed.

The men just started laughing at her as they threw her around one man to another as if she was a ball. Her kimono was being ripped with each catch and pull. And every time a new man grabbed her, she felt more pain where her wound was. She felt dizzy from the loss of blood and none of the men seemed to notice or care. She was tossed around until she was tossed right into the arms of the leader who brought her. "Enough games." He tore her kimono enough so that her shoulders were exposed and she began to cry. "What's the matter? Don't you like me?" He laughed harshly at her face and then leaned in to kiss her, but she spit right in his eyes. "Impudent whence!" He slapped her and knocked her down. "How dare you?" All of his men were in a state of shock and waited for him to really beat her down. He wiped the spit off of his face and then spit in hers. "You will learn respect or die! Either way, right now you're mine!" He slapped her again and the men all began laughing at Rin.

'_Lord Sesshoumaru…'_ Everything was spinning. She couldn't think. She couldn't breathe. Her wound didn't hurt anymore. As a matter a fact, she felt fine in that area of her body. She was just over come with a state of anger. She was frightened before, but now she was angry and began to growl as she wiped the spit off of her face. She began to shake as she felt her blood rushing and strength coming to her.

"What's wrong with you, woman?" the leader asked. "Are you scared?" He raised his hand and prepared to strike her again. "Well, you should be!" His hand went down, but before he could slap her face, her hand grabbed a hold oh his arm. "How dare you, woman? Are you insane?" He then noticed the demon like growls she was making. He was really figuring out what she was when her grip began to tighten and she looked up at him with her glowing, blood red eyes. "Let go!" he yelled in fear.

Her grip tightened until she shattered every bone that her hand was big enough to touch. She then used her free hand to slash his face with her claws. "Time to die!"

"It's a demon!" The bandits began to flee, but she only smirked as the leader's lifeless body fell.

"What's the matter? I thought you all wanted to have some fun! I thought I was yours." She jumped in front of one man and picked him up by his neck. "Why are you running from a woman?" She began to squeeze harder. He didn't have enough air to get out a scream. "You touched me! The way you touched me…" she growled again. "I shouldn't be touched that way!" He couldn't breathe and soon died. When she saw what she had done, she easily became bored and dropped him and let him fall to the ground. "I guess I should kill someone else now." She smirked.

* * *

Inuyasha got his strength back and stood to his feet with Jaken being held with one hand and beating him senseless with the other one. Once he saw a couple of knots on his head, he stopped and asked "Okay, Jaken! Where's my Tetsusaiga?" Miroku, Sango, Kagome, Shippo, and Kirara were back to normal as well.

It was a rather embarrassing story. She had probably brought the sword to Sesshoumaru by then. He would tell his lord that it was he that stole the sword, but he didn't want to tell him that Rin was able to steal it from him, as a human. He could only imagine it…

"_You were overcome by not only a mortal, but a woman? How pathetic."_

Jaken gulped and said, "I don't have it."

Inuyasha hit him once more. "Tell me the truth. I'm not in the mood for your lies!"

"But it's true! Rin stole it from me and ran off right after she threw me into the poisonous gas."

"Rin did it?" Kagome crossed her arms. "I don't understand. It doesn't make any sense at all. I mean, why? She just wouldn't."

"Sure she would," Inuyasha said bluntly. "She would do anything for Sesshoumaru. You heard her speak. I can't imagine him telling you two to steal it though."

"Well," Jaken tried to speak as humble as possible, not wanting another beating from Inuyasha. "It was my idea. She didn't seem interested at all. I thought she might have told you my plan when she talked to you. She betrayed me in the middle of my scheme and stole the sword. She was probably going to give it to Lord Sesshoumaru and claim that she did it."

"But why?" Sango asked.

"To gain favor from my lord," Jaken said. "She has caused him great trouble lately and wishes to redeem herself."

"Keh, like he'd want help from anyone." He dropped Jaken. "I'm going ahead."

"I want to go too," Kagome said. "I just want to talk to her."

"No way. You've got too much faith in the girl. She's not exactly a good girl, not anymore, Kagome. Maybe you need to realize that."

She jumped on his back and held on as tight as she could. "Too bad. I'm going with you anyway."

Inuyasha decided to forget about arguing. It wouldn't really work. "I'm picking up her scent. She didn't get too far. She is injured after all." Inuyasha picked up the scent of her blood and was soon able to find his sword lying in the forest. "This isn't right. Where did the girl get off too?" Inuyasha sniffed the air again after he picked up the Tetsusaiga and put it in its proper place. "Her scent has changed. She's a half demon again." They followed her scent until the found a collection of dead bodies and the demon Rin covered in their blood. "Alright, you've gone too far."

Rin looked behind her and saw Inuyasha and Kagome. She didn't answer him. She just cracked her knuckles and prepared to fight them.

"Alright, if you wanna do it the hard way, that's fine by me!" Inuyasha took out his Tetsusaiga. _'I'm not gonna hurt her. I've just got to get her unconscious or something. She won't listen to reason. I'm gonna have to use force.'_

Rin began to laugh psychotically, but hesitated to strike them. _'Inuyasha and Kagome?'_

Kagome stepped in front of Inuyasha and held her arms out in an attempt to stop their fight.

"What are you doing Kagome?"

"She's different," she said quietly. "She killed everyone and she's dangerous. I know that, but can't you look in her eyes and see that she's now aware of what she's doing? She looks kind of sad. A blood thirsty demon wouldn't feel sad." She spoke louder, directly to Rin. "I know you don't want to be this way Rin. Stop! Don't kill anymore. I know you're a good person. Don't block me out." She stepped closer, but Rin backed away. "I know you don't want to be this way."

Rin looked around at all the men she had killed and was disgusted with the amount of blood on her. "You're right," she said gently. Tears came to her eyes and rolled down her cheeks and mixed in with the blood that was on her face. "I don't want to be this way, but I am." She backed away again. "That's why this has to change. I have to change." She wiped her tears away, but unintentionally got more blood on her face. "That's why I'm gonna take your jewel shards, but not today. I'm very sorry that I stole your Tetsusaiga, but I'm going to still take your jewel shards." Rin decided not to chat anymore and she ran back away as fast as she could. Her wound was completely gone, so she was able to move quicker than before, plus the fact that her demonic powers were restored. _'I'm coming, Lord Sesshoumaru.'_

"Steal the jewel shards?" Kagome said worriedly. "Steal them for what?"

* * *

An hour later, Jaken appeared from the sky with Ah-Un in front of Sesshoumaru, scared to death that Sesshoumaru would punish him. He didn't have Rin by his side and when Sesshoumaru noticed, he glared. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I can explain…"

Just then, Sesshoumaru smelled her and heard her come up behind them with the scent of blood covering her. _'She became a half breed again.'_ "Rin, why are you-"

"-Covered in blood?" She didn't seem too traumatized from the experience. She hated to admit it. She wasn't in complete control, but she was completely aware of what was going on and didn't really fight to stop it. How they touched her…she hated it. It was horrible. "I ran into some bandits." She fought off her emotions as best she could. "They touched me. It made me so uncomfortable. I didn't know what they were going to do to me. I was scared when they were hitting me, but when they spit in my face..." She shook her head. "I couldn't take it anymore. The demon came back and I started killing them." She let a tear escape her eye. "The worst part about it all is that I enjoyed it." She was frightened of how the demon was taking over her. She didn't know how to be herself anymore.

Sesshoumaru just simply said, "They deserved to die." Humans were disgusting and the thought of a human male taking advantage of a wounded woman was even more disgusting. The thought of wanting a woman that bad seemed ridiculous to him. He was still suspicious from what she had done the other day before and her sudden burst of song and her detailed wording. It didn't seem right. She wasn't herself. She was hiding something.

She was just trying to get over the experience. "They tried to rape me…all of them."

Sesshoumaru's attention was demanded with that last line. He was angry at the dead bandits and Jaken for not being there, but he was more curious than anything. "Rape? That's a big word for a little girl."

She didn't quite know where he was going with that. "It's only a four letter word."

"And now you can spell?"

Jaken was catching onto what Sesshoumaru was suggesting. "It is indeed interesting. Rin doesn't know how to really spell anything except for a few words."

"It's not a hard word to spell," she said a little defensive.

"It's not so much the spelling of the word," Sesshoumaru said, "it's the meaning of it. Humans are such fragile and superstitious creatures. I don't know much about human emotions nor their culture, but I don't believe that a human mother would share what 'rape' was to a little child when she was only six or younger."

Rin backed away, not sure what to say. No, her mother had never said the word before. Her mother never discussed to her what rape was, or even just sexual intercourse. She didn't get the chance to learn about why a girl matures into a woman and the steps necessary to get there either. Her mother didn't even tell her where babies came from. But somehow, someway, she knew what all of those things were. "Lord Sesshoumaru…I…"

"Rin," Sesshoumaru bent down and his graceful fingers made a mark in the dirt and then he began to make more symbols below it and then next to it. When a look of satisfaction gleamed slightly in his eye, he stood and commanded her to, "Say these words."

Rin was nervous. No, she wasn't nervous. She was petrified. She didn't know why her lord was doing this to her. She just wanted to get all of that blood off. She didn't want to upset him, so she looked down in the dirt while Sesshoumaru stood up straight and narrowed his eyes at her as soon as she said "It's your name, Sesshoumaru." Jaken's eyes widened and she became even more frightened. "And the other one says mountain and the other says deep rivers." She backed away, feeling uncomfortable. "What's the matter?"

"Rin," Jaken said "you can't read."

"But…what does that mean? Why does it matter? So the demon made me smarter. What's it matter? I'm still me…right?"

'_A demonic aura should have made her stronger, more aggressive, perhaps even given her the knowledge of fighting but it doesn't make sense to why she has basic knowledge, basic knowledge that is taught.'_ Sesshoumaru decided to leave it at that. _'Perhaps she's not in control at all.' _He wouldn't trust her, not that her trust meant anything before. He just prepared himself for the worst with her. It wasn't as if he was threatened by her, but she wasn't herself and she was an Eouro. _'Naraku is behind all of this. It's possible that his plan isn't finished. It could have just been altered.' _

"Lord Sesshoumaru" Rin said as humble as she could, "I wish to collect shards of the Shikon jewel."

"And what for?" Jaken said in a very rude manner. "You've already run off enough and caused enough trouble. Why bother looking for the jewel shards?"

"Do as you please," Sesshoumaru said turning around and walking away.

'_Why are we heading back?'_ Jaken thought to himself but was too afraid to speak up to his lord. He could tell that Sesshoumaru was aggravated already. There was no need for getting chopped up in half.

Rin and Jaken ran to catch up with him and Rin just had to ask. "Uh…Lord Sesshoumaru, you are not concerned or curious about me wanting to collect the sacred jewel?" She wished she wouldn't have even asked about it. She didn't want to be scolded at and she felt as if he already had scolded with his questions about her sudden knowledge.

"I do not plan on assisting you on your quest. You do as you please. Do not expect that I'll do anything to gather the jewel for you. It's your concern and as long as it stays that way, I have no objection to you doing so."

"Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru…" she had another question to ask, but didn't want to. "Lord Sesshoumaru, is there a reason why we are turning around? Are you picking up Naraku's scent?"

"We past a stream and there isn't one ahead and you reek of human blood."

She stopped dead in her tracks and Jaken just stared at her in bewilderment. He decided to forget about her and kept on walking while she blushed, not that anyone could tell she was with all the blood covering her and no one was really paying much attention to her. _'He's doubling back for me?_' She smiled in a dreamily daze. _'Lord Sesshoumaru.' _He had already done so much for her and he still kept on making compromises for her sake. _'My lord is surely a great one. Being a demon has brought nothing but grief, but he doesn't let it bother him, or he at least doesn't treat me harshly for it. He's nicer than most humans.'_ Her smile only widened. _'Lord Sesshoumaru.'_ She noticed that they were leaving her and her senses snapped back into reality. "Wait for me!"

To be continued

Sounds like Rin is a little girl with a crush! Well, she's not a little girl now, but you get my drift! Will Sesshoumaru ever trust her though? Review and I'll update soon!


	10. Chapter 10: Challenge

Chapter 10

I don't own Inuyasha

Rin started to take off her clothes, but turned around to make sure no one was watching her. She wouldn't have worried about something like that before. She used to be innocent. Now she was paranoid about someone seeing her body and possibly lusting after her. She couldn't think the same way that a child thought. She wasn't a child anymore. She felt uncomfortable with someone looking at her and concentrating on her womanly features. "Good, no one is watching." She cautiously took off her clothing and stepped into the cold water, letting it wash her clean. She gazed at her features again and thought about those men that had tried to take advantage of her. She was glad that they didn't succeed, but she didn't like the thought of killing all of those people. However, she didn't feel guilty about actually killing those men.

When it began to get very dark, she decided that she had bathed enough. She couldn't smell the scent of the bandit's blood on her anymore. She could smell it on her clothes though. It was hard getting all of the blood stains out. "I already need a new kimono. I feel like I take up too much of Lord Sesshoumaru's time." She dried herself off and put her clothes on. Her clothes were still damp from being washed, but what else could she do? "I shouldn't bother him with trying to get another one. I should do it myself."

"Indeed you should!" said Jaken.

Rin let out a scream once she saw that Jaken had spotted her in the middle of putting her kimono on. "You sick pervert!" At the sound of her screaming, Sesshoumaru came rushing to her side and once he saw that she wasn't in danger, he narrowed his eyes at her in annoyance at the fact that he just came to save her from nothing. When Rin saw Sesshoumaru, she only began blushing insanely. Besides his annoyance, he wasn't showing any reaction to her body. When she regained her senses again, she covered herself up and started yelling at Jaken. "You knew I was bathing, you little pest!"

He turned his head in disgust. "I was sent to check on you. I had no intention of seeing your disgusting half breed features."

She stuck out her tongue. She could still be a child sometimes. "You're a nuisance!" She turned her head in disgust. _'Jaken's such a pest. I liked him when I was little.'_

Later that night when they had traveled a little farther, they had decided to rest a little bit. Sesshoumaru had his back pressed against a tree and wasn't showing any sign of sleeping. Jaken on the other hand was tired. He fell asleep in a matter of minutes. He had so much to deal with concerning Rin and her recent behavior. She drained him. Rin wasn't really falling asleep. She had her back pressed against a tree, staring right at Sesshoumaru. He wasn't going to say anything. She on the other hand felt uncomfortable with the silence. "Lord Sesshoumaru, you don't have to watch me until I fall asleep. I am in no danger and if I am, then I am well able to take care of myself."

He didn't say anything at first. He didn't make a different expression or even hint at what he was going to say. "I had no intention of waiting until you sleep. I simply don't need to rest as much as you mortals do."

"Oh." She put her head down. "I suppose that's right." _'I'm not very sleepy right now, but I'll try to rest. There's no telling why I turned into a human again. I do need my strength just in case I am attacked. I need my demon strength until I can find all of the sacred jewel shards.'_ She sighed. "I will try to rest then." She rested her whole entire body on the ground and closed her eyes. It was hard for her to just try and sleep with him watching her. He wasn't even really paying attention to her. He was just looking forward and she happened to be there. _'He's looking at me.' _She opened her eyes again. He wasn't even looking at her anymore. He had turned his head. _'He's not looking at me anymore?_' She was somewhat disappointed. "Goodnight," she said quietly to her lord.

He noticed that she had told him goodnight. Of course he didn't respond with a reply, but he did watch her again. This time he was watching her instead of just simply looking in her direction. _'Naraku tried to kill her, so he must not be planning anything with her, but something isn't right.'_

Rin was more tired than what she thought. Soon, she wasn't even able to open her eyes and see if he was looking at her. She had been through a lot lately, and soon she just drifted off into a deep sleep…

_Rin opened her eyes and saw that Sesshoumaru wasn't there watching her like before. He was no where to be seen. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" She lifted her head up and then her upper body, resting on her bottom. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" She looked around and he couldn't be found. "I suppose he left for a moment." She sniffed the air. His scent was still fresh, but she couldn't pinpoint him. She sniffed the air again. "What's that?" She looked around and stood to her feet. "Someone else is here." She jumped once she felt the touch of muscular hands coming around her waist and the warmth of his head nuzzling her neck. "Hikakustu?"_

_"So we meet again, Rin." A chill went down Rin's spine and she struggled to get away from his grasp, but his arms were tightly around her. "I've missed you." He raised his head up and whispered in her ear. "Will you release me now?"_

_Rin tried to move her head as much as she could so she wouldn't have him speaking directly in her ear. "What are you doing?" She said it quietly but forcefully, as if she was afraid she'd be caught._

_"I was just making sure you'd keep the end of our little bargain." He let her go and she stepped away as fast as she could. _

_"There is no bargain. I didn't make a deal with you and I don't plan on making a bargain with the likes of you! I would never!" _

_"I suppose so. Why would it be a bargain? You're going to do me a little favor and I don't plan on giving you anything in return." He smirked and stepped closer to her. "But if you want something else in return, then I'd love to give it to you." _

_He reached his hands out to touch her, but she slapped his hands away. "Don't touch me!" He only began to laugh gently. "I don't want anything to do with you! I won't release you! I wouldn't even dream of doing such a thing!"_

_His smile fell. "If that was true, then you would have mentioned our little meeting to the dog."_

_"Don't call him a dog! You should have some more respect for Lord Sesshoumaru. He's the strongest and most powerful demon that I know and you have absolutely no right to ever speak to him harshly!" She stepped back again. She was so upset that he had dared to speak against Sesshoumaru that she started cracking her knuckles. "Try to touch me again and you'll regret it. You have no idea what I'm capable of!"_

_"But I do know exactly what you're capable of. As a matter of fact, that's what the last dream was about." He stepped closer, but she didn't step away. "We're becoming much closer. We're getting connected. Soon, you will feel me, even in a state on consciousness." He stepped forward again and touched her cheek. "I am still sleeping, laying in dormant caused by a disgusting dog demon. Now you travel around with his son? It's only fitting, I suppose." He took his hand away, wondering. "Why exactly are you traveling with him?"_

_"What do you mean? He saved my life. Why would you ask me that?"_

_"I am lying in dormant. I only know what you want me to, Rin." He got even got closer to her. "So tell me more."_

_"What do you expect me to do?" She wanted to pull away from him and just wake up, but that was only part of her. The other part didn't want to leave. "What do you want? Do you honestly believe that I'd betray my lord?"_

_"I'm your lord, Rin. I just want you to remember that." He smirked again. "You'll see that soon." _

_"I'm not yours, Hikakustu and I won't turn my back on my lord!"_

_"If that's true, then you'll tell him exactly what happens when you dream. But believe me when I say this Rin, you're not going to tell him anything." He ran his fingers through her hair and kept touching the ends of her hair with his finger tips. "I think you'd look much nicer with shorter hair." She pushed his hands away. He only started laughing in her face. "Do you have to be so touchy? I was merely giving you a suggestion." He touched her tattered clothing. "Does the dog demon truly treat you well? Look at your kimono. You need a new one."_

_"You have no idea what I've been through!" She stepped back and he let go of her clothing. "I was in battle. My clothes are torn because of that reason and that reason only!"_

_"You need a new one. Make it red. I like red."_

_"I don't care what you like!"_

_He quickly grabbed her arms and stepped closer to her. "You do care what I like, Rin. That's why you'll do what I ask. That's why you won't tell Sesshoumaru about our little discussions. It's also the reason why you've stopped struggling to get away from me." _

_She had stopped struggling. He had her arms, but she could have broken away if she really wanted to. The truth is that she didn't. She couldn't step away. Something inside didn't want to. He was too familiar. The demon side, it knew him so well._

_He kissed her on her forehead. "Night, Rin."_

Rin opened her eyes and saw that it was still dark outside. It was pitch black. _'It must be the middle of the night.'_ She looked at Sesshoumaru and smiled. _'He was tired and he fell asleep.'_ She sat up and watched him. _'He's so handsome.'_ She blushed_. 'He's so peaceful right now.'_ She got on her hands and knees and crawled over to him and stared right in his face. She paid attention to all of his features. His skin was fair and the two purple streaks on each side of his face made him look so exotic, along with the crescent blue moon on his head. _'I wonder what it all means.' _She had to stop herself from reaching out to touch the crescent moon. _'He's so…beautiful.'_ She blushed harder.

"Is there something you want?" He opened his eyes and it scared her for a moment. She yelled out and jumped back.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" She didn't know quite what to say. "Oh, well, I couldn't really sleep. I just woke up."

"That's very self evident, Rin."

She wasn't just blushing; she was completely red with embarrassment. "Oh, yes, I suppose it is self evident." She calmed down. "I uh…I saw that you were sleeping and I thought I'd see if you…" She shrugged her shoulders "...if you were really sleeping..." He didn't say anything else and it made her feel uncomfortable. She backed away some more. "I am very sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru. I didn't mean to wake you." She laid back down and rolled over so she wouldn't see his face. She was too embarrassed to look him in the eye.

Sesshoumaru didn't understand her behavior and wasn't even going to attempt to understand it. He decided it was best to let it be. She was a mortal girl after all. Rin rolled back over and sat up. He was beginning to show his irritation. "What is it now?"

"Oh, well I..." She wanted to tell him about her dreams. It was dangerous to be having contact with Hikakustu, even though he really wasn't even there to begin with. She was in way over her head, and yet, she didn't say anything about it. "Uh, Lord Sesshoumaru, I…" She was so ashamed of herself. "I need a new kimono." _'Why can't I tell him the truth?'_

He knew there was something else she wanted to say, but he didn't press the matter. He didn't want her to think that he actually cared and he most certainly didn't want himself to start thinking that he did. "You shouldn't be so reckless."

"I know, my lord. I am very sorry about all of this." She was dying to say something, but she couldn't say what she really wanted to. As a matter of fact, she wasn't sure that she really wanted to say anything. She just decided to let it be and she rested her body again. She couldn't go back to sleep though and neither could Sesshoumaru. They just sat there in the forest and listened to the snores of Jaken until day break.

"Jaken," Rin said shaking him. "It's time to leave."

Jaken lazily got up from his slumber and sighed. "I was having the most wonderful dream."

"Really?" she asked interested. "Please tell me what happened, Master Jaken."

His face was completely serious. "You weren't there."

Rin pounded Jaken on the head and she walked away from him angrily. "The nerve of him!" _'He's just afraid that Lord Sesshoumaru likes me more and he believes that I am taking his place.'_ "We're leaving, Master Jaken." Once they had started on their journey to find Naraku, Rin had immediately started to sing her song that she had cleverly named Deep Forest, but it didn't last too long. She didn't have the heart to sing it.

"I'm grateful that you stopped your childish song, Rin" Jaken huffed out harshly.

"I only sang it to annoy you. I am glad that I did." She was in charge of Ah-Un and she did a nice job of making sure he kept along and didn't make any mistakes. She would take the most difficult or smallest things, it didn't matter. She only wanted to do something to make her lord happy.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," she asked ",why is it that you have those markings on your face?" She didn't mean to ask, but she couldn't help it. He was so good looking. She just had to learn of his origin. "Inuyasha, your brother doesn't have them."

Sesshoumaru was curious to know why she would ask that of all questions, but he went along with it. He had a nice, short, but very effective rest. He was feeling quite tolerable at the moment. "I am a full demon. That is why Inuyasha's features differ from some of mine. He's only a mere half breed."

"Well, I know that much, but do all dog demons have markings on their face, or is it just you? Are you a very special dog demon or are you very ordinary?"

"Not all demons are the same, Rin."

"I see."

He gazed at her for a while. She asked a lot more questions now. Before she was told what to do and she did it. She never really worried about anything. If she did ask a question, it was an unimportant one. She would mostly just give little comments rather than ask questions before. Now she did both twice as much. "Why do you ask so many questions? What do you seek to gain from knowing about my heritage?"

"I don't know really. I just find myself to be a very curious person. Don't you find yourself interesting, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"Sure he is," said a voice deep within the forest.

"I knew I smelt something," said Rin. "Smells like dog."

Jaken was upset since he was the last to know they had a visitor. If Rin knew there was someone, Sesshoumaru obviously knew already. He sniffed the air and he could also smell the scent of dog, a dog demon to be precise. "Do you know this dog demon, my lord?"

"He should," said the voice from above. They all looked above and saw him standing on a tree branch. "I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't remember me though. He hasn't been home in ages."

Sesshoumaru didn't seem too happy with being reunited with an old acquaintance. "Well, if it isn't Ratetsurei?"

He was a dog demon indeed. He had the two streaks on his cheeks on each side like Sesshoumaru. His were a dark blue instead of Sesshoumaru's purple. His eyes were gold like Sesshoumaru's, but his hair was shoulder length and a much darker shade of silver. He wasn't as handsome as Sesshoumaru. He looked older than Sesshoumaru, but he still looked exceptionally young. He had an expensive looking white kimono on with red dragons on random parts of it. Rin thought it was very stylish. She liked the dragon design. He had armor on similar to Sesshoumaru. He had on a breast plate and spikes as well but there was placed on his shoulders. He had a dark red sash and a sword, but there was no way that it was going to be as powerful as Tokijin or the Tetsusaiga. One thing he didn't have was the boa that Sesshoumaru had around his shoulder. Rin didn't know what exactly it was for, but she just referred to it as the 'boa'. "Well, you're not even a full grown demon yet. You must be what, around 900 years or so now?"

Rin's mouth dropped. "He's that old?" she asked out loud and rather rudely.

"Hold your tongue!" Jaken practically shouted. "Demons don't age as pathetically as you mortals do. A mortal child like you could never dream of reaching a quarter of a demon's life. For some demons such as Lord Sesshoumaru, that age is not even the dawn of his prime."

"Wow," she simply said. She had no idea that her lord was so old. _'He's not even in his prime? He's so strong though. What would he be like in his prime then? How will he be when he's full grown?'_

Ratetsurei thought Rin to be interesting; especially with the way Jaken spoke to her. "She's a not a human." He jumped off of the tree branch that he stood on and sniffed her. "She's a half demon." When he stepped too close to Rin, she tried to slash his face, but he quickly jumped out the way and started laughing at her. "Pretty fast for a half demon though. Is this who you choose to surround yourself with, Sesshoumaru? You choose to have an imp and a half breed?"

Rin and Jaken were boiling with anger from being insulted. "How dare you speak to me in that manner?" yelled Jaken. "You obviously do not know who you are dealing with! I am Jaken and if you cross paths with me, you will be sorry!"

Ratetsurei noticed that Jaken carried the staff of two heads in his hand and only had more questions after that. "You gave the staff of two heads to this little demon? Can he even control it?"

"I wield it just fine!" Jaken shouted. "If you'd like to see me use it, then we shall do battle!"

Sesshoumaru finally decided to speak. "What is it that you want?"

"Can't I visit an old friend?" he asked sarcastically.

_'Sesshoumaru has friends from a long time ago? I don't quite believe that.'_ Rin cracked her knuckles and prepared to fight, just in case she had to.

Ratetsurei grew disgusted with Rin's presence. "What is it that you're doing traveling around with this disgusting half breed? Not quite following in your father's foot steps I see. You decided to take a step up." Sesshoumaru's good mood or sort of good mood was instantly ruined with that sentence alone. His eyes narrowed in at Ratetsurei. That didn't stop Ratetesurei from speaking though. "So, is this your woman?"

Jaken's and Rin's mouth dropped from what he had said. Jaken thought it as the biggest insult anyone could ever say to his great Lord Sesshoumaru. Rin on the other hand, started to slightly blush in the face, but she was still in utter shock. It was impossible! Wasn't it?

Sesshoumaru quickly drew out Tokijin. He had a scowl on his face now. "If you have come here for a reason, then you had best mention it now before I rip you in half."

Ratetsurei began to laugh as he drew his sword. "Why else would I come to find you, Sesshoumaru?" He cracked his knuckles on his other hand. "I've come here to challenge you for our home land."

To be continued…


	11. Chapter 11: The Ruler's Hand

Chapter 11

I don't own Inuyasha

"Challenge?" Rin asked confused. "What does he mean by challenging Lord Sesshoumaru for their homeland?" Her question was directed towards Jaken, but Ratetsurei was able to pick up on her question and decided to answer her.

"What are you, a child? Don't you know anything? Do you think he's called _Lord_ Sesshoumaru for nothing?"

Rin could have almost burst into laughter, thinking that she was a child only a week or so ago and was now a half demon woman. _'I know he's a lord but I never quite thought about it.' _Rin grew worried as she thought about it more. _'Somehow I already know though. I know about it all.'_

Ratetsurei continued on with his talking. "Sesshoumaru is lord of the Western lands, where I and our Clan of dog demons live." Ratetsurei became even tenser as he thought about Sesshoumaru and the current situations going on in his homeland. "He hasn't been there in years, hundreds of years. "We heard of your father's passing. It's hard to believe that even the great dog demon himself could be brought down by such frail creatures: mortals." He got out of his fighting possession and created fists in a burst of anger and began to clench them. His nails dug into his skin and he started to bleed but he was so angry at Rin and Sesshoumaru that he didn't even feel his skin being pierced. "Yet knowing what these disgusting creatures have done, you decide to take one as your mate?"

Jaken's mouth dropped in shock and disgust, while Rin's just dropped in shock. She did start blushing though. That couldn't be denied. "Lord Sesshoumaru and I aren't mates!" she cried.

"Why would I ever take a pathetic mortal as my mate, Ratetsurei?" Said Sesshoumaru.

Ratetsurei calmed down a little and relaxed so he could fight easier. "You know what they say?" He cracked his knuckles. "Like father like son."

Even though Sesshoumaru was angry at the fact that he was insulted by Ratetsurei, he decided to smirk regardless. "Ratetsurei, you must surely know that I intend on defeating you and I very much so easily will. You never stood a chance against me and yet you persist. I must know the reason for your insanity."

"You don't know much about me anymore, Sesshoumaru. I would have been just fine with you taking your position as our leader, but you've been gone for such a long time, I decided that someone had to take over. Your father was dead and you had abandoned us. It seemed like the right move." He snarled. "But the problem was that no one wanted you to be replaced because everyone assumed that you were still coming back." He smirked himself. "But they all agreed that I am worthy enough to lead the pack if I could bring back your head!"

Sesshoumaru was actually amused at this situation now. "And they were all actually foolish enough to attempt to think for a moment that you could accomplish your goal."

"Unfortunately, some of them like Ziah don't believe that I am capable, but I do plan on proving all of them wrong."

"Ziah?" Rin asked quietly. _'Who is that? Sounds like a woman's name…'_ She began to pout a little bit. It couldn't be helped though. She didn't even realize that the name made her upset. She was just agitated and didn't realize why. She hadn't ever quite felt the emotion of jealousy before and she hadn't even seen the girl's face. _'Is this Ziah a dog demon like Lord Sesshoumaru?'_ Her frown increased. _'Is she a pretty dog demon?'_

Ratetsurei took his sword and ran to Sesshoumaru without warning, but Sesshoumaru was ready and jumped back and began to battle Ratetsurei with Tokijin. Ratetsurei began swinging his sword in a rage, but Sesshoumaru stayed calm as always and was able to dodge his attacks. "You've gotten weaker, or at least I would think so."

"And why is that?"

"You only have one arm."

That ticked Sesshoumaru off quite a bit and his temper flared. He swung the Tokijin and blue energy began was flung at Ratetsurei, but he flipped into the air and dodged it. He was indeed a skilled fighter and was confident enough to start laughing at Sesshoumaru. "This is interesting. I guess that last remark made you upset."

"It certainly is interesting. You assume that I'm weaker and yet you're still losing."

"Our battle has only begun. All that matters is who walks away from this battle, and it won't be you!" Ratetsurei charged Sesshoumaru and their swords met each other and flashes of lightening shot from throughout the both of them. Ratetsurei had nothing but pure passion in his eyes. He didn't really hate Sesshoumaru all that much, not enough to kill him anyway. He did however need to beat Sesshoumaru for his home. They wouldn't respect him as a leader and they desperately needed one at this point in time. The only way to be that leader was to kill Sesshoumaru and he was most certainly willing to kill Sesshoumaru or any other demon that came in his way of ruling of the Western lands.

Jaken was in awe from both of their power, but was confident that his lord would prevail. He found all of this to be a fascinating fight, since he hadn't really had that much contact with dog demons besides his lord and Inuyasha. Rin was still wondering about Ziah and all of the other dog demons that must have lived where Sesshoumaru's home was. _'I wonder if everyone looks like Lord Sesshoumaru. What does his home look like? Are there only dog demons there? How come Lord Sesshoumaru has been gone for so long?' _She suddenly grew sad. _'What if he chose to leave me and go home to the Western lands? They wouldn't accept me if I went with him. I'm too different.' _She wouldn't have noticed that her appearance would have made a difference if she was a child, but she knew that now. She knew so much now. _'What will you do, Lord Sesshoumaru?'_

Ratetsurei jumped back from Sesshoumaru and tried to catch his breath. He tried to make it unnoticeable, but Sesshoumaru noticed that Ratetsurei was starting to sweat while Sesshoumaru was not even really warmed up. "This is turning into a rather anticlimactic battle, don't you think? You did all that talk only to start to fail miserably."

"I won't fail!" Ratetsurei smirked. "Besides, I don't think I have much to worry about. That's not exactly the Tetsusaiga. Where is your father's sword?" Sesshoumaru grunted, which pleased Ratetsurei. "What, did it break? Did your father not give you the sword?" He smirked. "Or was it simply because you weren't strong enough to wield it?"

Sesshoumaru placed his sword back on his sash and cracked his knuckles. "I'll beat you without any sword at all, so your humiliation will be multiplied." He held out two of his fingers and his nails began to glow. "Are you ready for the depths of Hell to be opened to you, Ratetsurei?"

Ratetsurei tried not to show how nervous he was. He thought for sure he would have surpassed Sesshoumaru. He stayed calm the best he could. "Don't kid yourself Sesshoumaru. Living outside the Western lands has made you weak. You travel with a half breed, you are missing an arm, and you carry around a sword that brings people back from the dead. What could you accomplish with such a sword?" He began to become very sarcastic. "What? Did you even save a mortal's life?" When Sesshoumaru didn't reply and when Ratetsurei noticed that Rin started to blush, he began to laugh histerically. "Are you serious? That is why this half breed follows you? You saved her life? Ha! You don't deserve to lead our pack!"

"And you don't deserve to speak in my presence!" Like a bolt of lightening, Sesshoumaru's light whip quickly flung into Ratetsurei's face and split his lips in half. Ratetsurei almost panicked. He felt his lips. They would have been bleeding if Sesshoumaru's whip wasn't so hot. Ratetsurei didn't want to, but he looked scared. He had never been so afraid in his whole entire life. He looked up into Sesshoumaru's eyes and Sesshoumaru could clearly see how afraid Ratetsurei was. Sesshoumaru had disgust in his eyes. Seeing such a pathetic dog demon angered him. "I suppose it's time to put you out of your misery."

Ratetsurei was determined to make himself look good again. He put his sword back into his sheath and two of his finger nails began to glow. "Let's begin this battle." Ratetsurei flung his lightening whip at Sesshoumaru, but Sesshoumaru used his to block it. Ratetsurei was over come by a massive amount of rage and continuously kept swinging his whip forward, but Sesshoumaru blocked it every time.

"You're desperate now. You've already lost your pride. Don't seek to gain it back."

"Shut up!" Ratetsurei flung his whip toward Sesshoumaru, but instead of blocking it, Sesshoumaru let his attack fade into nothing and dodged Ratetsurei's whip. He was so fast that Ratetsurei didn't notice Sesshoumaru had moved until it was too late. Sesshoumaru grabbed Ratetsurei's arm that had created the whip and began to burn it with his poison. Ratetsurei yelled out in pain and tried to pull his arm away, but Ratetsurei couldn't. He could already feel Sesshoumaru burning through his skin. After a while, he couldn't feel anything in that area, since his nerves were being destroyed. "Stop it!"

He started to punch wildly at Sesshoumaru with his available arm, but Sesshoumaru was fast enough to dodge it without letting go of Ratetsurei's arm. Soon his grip was lost, but only because he got done melting off the bone, and then the hole forearm fell off. "Now, you only have one arm." Ratetsurei backed away from Sesshoumaru. He wasn't going to beg for his life. That would have been pathetic, and he at least wanted to keep his honor. There was nothing he could do now. Sesshoumaru had already won. Sesshoumaru clawed Ratetsurei in the face so bad that the nerves could be seen in his cheeks. After that, Sesshoumaru decided that he had enough and grabbed Ratetsurei's neck and held him up in the air.

"Go ahead and kill me," Ratetsurei said weakly. "You already won."

"I know, but I'm not going to kill you until you tell me why you came after me. You must have been feeling these emotions for a long time. What is the reason why you decided to come after me now?"

"Why should I tell you? It's not like you care?"

Sesshoumaru tightened the grip on Ratetsurei's neck and his poison began to slowly take affect. He was burning him away extremely slow and it hurt much worse than burning away Ratetsurei's arm. "I'm losing my patience."

Ratetsurei didn't want to say anything, but he failed, so Sesshoumaru was still his leader. "Lord Sesshoumaru, there is trouble in our home. We're about to enter a great war with demons from the north. They hope to take over and are extremely strong. I wanted to lead our people into victory." His nerves were beginning to burn away. "I guess that's not going to happen."

Ratetsurei lost consciousness and once Sesshoumaru knew that he could no longer get any information out of Ratetsurei, he dropped him, and as he was falling, Sesshoumaru made his light whip appear and he split Ratetsurei in half.

Jaken began cheering. "Marvelous job, my lord! That was excellent. He never stood a chance against you!"

Rin was a little shocked her Lord's ruthlessness in battle. He was so dangerous and deadly. In one way it scared her, but it mostly just made her even more attracted to him. She tried not to let it show at all. "Nice job, my lord." Her cheeks were burning.

Sesshoumaru didn't necessarily enjoy killing Ratetsurei. He was one of his own people. He was supposed to be one of his followers. Sesshoumaru hadn't been home in such a long time. He couldn't blame Ratetsurei for challenging him, but couldn't pity his death, especially since he was foolish enough to actually think that he could kill the great Lord Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru had left attempting to make a name for himself instead of simply just getting his kingdom handed over to him by his father. He needed to find himself. As soon as Naraku was defeated, Sesshoumaru would be on the starting path of becoming the greatest demon in the entire world. _'Making one detour wouldn't change anything.' _"Jaken…"

Jaken ran over to his lord and looked up at him proudly. "Yes, my lord?"

"I'm going to be leaving for a while. You and Rin are to stay here and wait for my return I will return in a few days."

Jaken didn't want to see his lord go. It was obvious where Sesshoumaru was going and Jaken wanted to see his lord's home land. It must have been wonderful. "Yes, my lord. We will be here waiting for your return." He looked behind him to see Rin. _'Hopefully the girl doesn't go insane.'_

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin ran up to her lord. "I wish to accompany you, wherever you go. I would follow you to the ends of the earth, my lord!"

Sesshoumaru just simply turned away from her and started walking away. "Stay as you were instructed, Rin. Do nothing more."

Rin couldn't believe that he had nothing more to say than that. _'He's just going to leave me and Jaken like this? I can't believe it! He's going home and I can't go with him.' _She frowned. _'He's ashamed of me._'

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but think of his home while he left on his journey. It had been such a long time. His father was still alive the last time he was there. Many that he had known were not going to be as he remembered. He wasn't going to be as they remembered. Everyone would ask of the missing Tetsusaiga and the missing arm, both the fault of his half breed brother Inuyasha. Many would think that Sesshoumaru might actually have an interest in mortals, which disgusted him above all. _'I and a mortal, that is truly disgusting and disgraceful.'_

A few days later, Rin was bored out of her mind with Jaken. She hadn't had any sudden evil spasms and no dreams about Hikakustu. Surprisingly, that made her slightly upset. She was so bored she wished something would come along and do something. Even the tempting talks from Hikakustu made her mind wondering. She tried to keep her mind off of her lord. Thinking of how Sesshoumaru was gone to his wonderful home with other dog demons made her feel uneasy. She couldn't get that one name out of her head. "Jaken, has Lord Sesshoumaru ever mentioned the name Ziah before?"

"Not to me, but Lord Sesshoumaru does not often mention anything of his past." Rin and Jaken were sitting in the shade of the forest. Jaken missed his lord, but he started to consider this all a vacation. "Do not worry about Lord Sesshoumaru. What he does or did is not your business."

Rin smiled as she began to sniff the air. "Master Jaken, would you like to assist me?"

"Assist you with what?" Jaken turned his head away from Rin, not wanting any part of it. "I refuse! You are an insane demon. I will not assist you with anything!"

"But I wish to gather the jewel shards. Now is the best time to gather them."

"Why, because Lord Sesshoumaru is gone? He told us not to leave this spot. You would be disobeying his orders if you left." He stood to his feet and actually thought about going with her. Sesshoumaru would be angry if Rin was hurt.

"Don't worry Jaken; it has nothing to do with the fact that Lord Sesshoumaru is gone. I just simply know where there happens to be some jewel shards."

"And how would you know something like that?"

She sniffed the air again and started to smirk. "I smell wolf."

To be continued…


	12. Chapter 12: Missing

Chapter 12

I don't own Inuyasha

"You smell wolf?" Jaken didn't understand what she was talking about at first, but he soon was able to paste everything together and gasped. "You mean the wolf demons that slaughtered you? You smell their scent?"

"Yes, Master Jaken. I do. I know for a fact that Kouga, the leader of the wolf tribe, possesses two Sacred Shikon Jewel Shards and I do intend on stealing them from him." Rin had a smile on her face as she began walking towards the direction of where she sensed and smelled Kouga. "Come on, Master Jaken. I need those jewel shards."

"And what for?" Jaken asked.

Rin stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. She placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. "You silly little demon. Why wouldn't I want the jewel shards? Isn't it obvious? I wish to become a human again." Ah-Un began to follow her, but Rin said, "Stay here, Ah-Un. I'll be back."

Jaken's eyes lit up. The thought of her not being a demon was like a dream come true. "You don't wish to be a demon anymore, Rin?" He didn't let her finish. He jumped up in the air and began yelling with excitement. "Then let us find the sacred jewel shards and return you to your human state forever!" He hadn't been that happy in a long time. He certainly hated traveling with a half demon, especially a half demon that could easily kill him. "Alright then, let's be on our way!" He started walking forward with Rin, but Rin wasn't as excited as she once was before.

"Master Jaken, you seriously don't like me that much?" He answered with his smile. He was still happy that she wanted to become a human. Rin grunted, but didn't pay him any attention anymore. She decided to concentrate. Finding Kouga and taking his jewel shards was the most important thing to do. That was her only objective. _'Wait a second, do I even know how to fight?' _Her pace slowed down as she thought about it._ 'I was always out of control when I've fought someone. I haven't really been aware of anything. Do I know how to fight or is it just the demon inside me that does?'_ "Master Jaken, maybe this is a mistake."

"What do you mean?" The light in his eyes began to dim down. To hear her say that was so depressing. "You're giving up? We just started."

"I know, but do I even know how to fight? What should I do? Do I even know how to use all of my powers and what if I became a human in the middle of my fight with Kouga? That would only make things much more complicated. He would rip me apart. I don't know what I should do, Master Jaken. This is going to be harder than what I thought."

"You can do it, Rin!"

She was surprised with his sudden burst of confidence. She doubted that it was because he actually believed in her. She knew it was because he wanted her to get those jewel shards and stop being such a pest. _'Does he not understand that I could die? Lord Sesshoumaru would be angry with him if I did die.'_ "Master Jaken, I don't think it's that simple. I am a demon...well, a half demon, and I know I've beaten demons before, but I'm not too certain if I can do it in a state of consciousness."

"Well, then call forth on your demon blood."

"I don't think it's that simple." She didn't want to back out now. She would suck it up and try her best to defeat Kouga. Besides, he was close now. She could hear him. _'Be brave Rin. This is your time to take revenge for what he did to you and your village.'_ She frowned. _'Then again, he did save my life once.'_ She frowned again. _'No, that doesn't give him the right to kill those people and me. He can't justify what he did.'_ The human side was torn between emotions. She couldn't seem to remember what her demon side would do. She couldn't hear it or feel it at all._ 'I'm in trouble, aren't I?_' When she spotted him, she whimpered in fear and hid behind a tree. She didn't know if she could come up with enough courage to actually go through with trying to kill him.

Jaken couldn't believe her sudden spasm of fear and ran over to her to scold her. "Rin, must you actually run in fear? You said you would destroy the wolf demon and you must follow through."

Rin bit her lip as her hands started shaking. _'Jaken is right. I can't just back out now. I have to defeat Kouga like I said I would. I'm not a coward.'_ She stood up straight and cracked her knuckles, but it felt so unnatural to her that she shivered from the sound. _'I guess I'm still not ready, but I have to do it anyway. Maybe something will kick in.'_ Rin stepped out of hiding and placed her hands on her hips as she put on a brave face. "Hey you"! she shouted over to Kouga and his men who were huddled together in a small circle of three, trying to figure out how they would divide the mushrooms they had gathered. They didn't pay Rin any attention, but she yelled out, "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

Kouga picked up her voice and stood up straight. He cocked an eyebrow in utter disgust that she would call out his attention and so rudely. Her appearance was accepting to him, but she wasn't as pretty as Kagome as far as he was concerned. He could tell she was a half breed, which only confused him further. Her clothes were torn and bloodied, which made her seem like a peasant. Kouga thought her to be a comical sight, especially once he saw that her legs were shaking. "And what do you want with me?"

Rin was at a sudden loss of words. She didn't know if she should just charge him or simply wait for him to make the first blow. "Well, I'm here to..." her voice grew quiet. "I'm here to challenge you." She gulped and stepped forward to him.

Kouga resisted laughing at her. He was more amused than curious, but decided to attend to his curiosity first. "Oh and why exactly would you like to do that?" Ginta and Hakkaku along with the wolves began to smell Rin's scent and were slightly puzzled by it. Ginta and Hakkaku decided to forget about it and concentrate on who the heck was this little half demon woman who dared to challenge Kouga. She must have been crazy.

Rin decided to speak up. "I want your jewel shards."

Kouga became defensive, and yet still relaxed. It wasn't like he had anything to really worry about. She was just a girl. "Okay, if you think you're strong enough to take my jewel shards, then take them." He cracked his knuckles and Rin slightly jumped at the noise. It was then at that moment that she began to grow pale.

_'Oh, I don't know if I can do this.'_ She held up her hand and prepared to claw Kouga. _'I know how to do that. I just have to scratch him. I can do that. It's not like I haven't seen squabbles before. I can scratch him.' _"Ahhhh!" Rin ran forward to Kouga and prepared to claw him, but she was so slow compared to Kouga that he barely had to move in order to dodge her. Kouga rolled his eyes and continued to dodge her. Rin's confidence, if she even had any, died down with each dodge. _'What would Lord Sesshoumaru do?'_

She gasped when she felt Kouga's arm grab her arm and spin her around until he decided to let her go. She landed many feet away and hit her head on a huge stone. Rin felt her head and felt the blood that was coming out of a small gash. Jaken was watching from afar and sighed in disappointment. He began to get worried that she might just be killed. She had no idea what she was doing. Rin was scared and was about to faint, not from the loss of blood, but just from pure fear. She closed her eyes and let her heart fade into complete peacefulness as it started to beat its normal pace. _'Lord Sesshoumaru...'_

_"He's not here, Rin." _

_Rin opened her eyes and was staring into the face of Hikakustu. She looked around to see where Kouga and his wolves were, but Kouga was nowhere to be found, nor was Jaken. "Where's Kouga?" _

_"Tisk, tisk, tisk. You're not doing as I instructed you, Rin. I told you that you were able to defeat the wolves, and yet here you are bleeding." He touched her forehead, but instead of moving away, she let him. His touch was becoming more familiar to her. "Getting comfortable with me, I see. Good girl." He smirked. "Now, how about we bring forth that demon side of you?" _

_Rin couldn't exactly complain. She needed the demon's power. "I don't want to lose control." _

_"You would rather die?" She didn't want to die, but she didn't want to become mindless and take the chance of killing Jaken. She did need those jewel shards though. That was for sure. She wanted to become human, but the more she was around Hikakustu, she got the feeling that he wanted her to have them. But why? "I said I'd be your Lord, Rin, and I do intend on keeping my ward safe." He leaned in closer to her, and she slightly began to panic as he got closer. Rin closed her eyes and waited for her fate to come, but it wasn't what she expected. She felt the warm touch of his lips on her forehead and then she opened her eyes and looked at him with utter shock. He then leaned his head to the side of her head and whispered in her ear. "Wake up."_

Rin opened her eyes, but she wasn't the same. She felt her heart pumping as if it were about to explode and her blood rushing through her veins and all of the primitive instincts that the demon had started returning. She was ready to take him once she felt her humanity leave. "Die." She stood to her feet and cracked her knuckles. This time she didn't even think about it. It was natural. She was ready to kill him. She was ready to kill anything and Kouga was the greatest challenge standing before her.

Kouga was practically chuckling from the attack he inflicted on her earlier, but noticed that she was different after she stood up. Her eyes were different, as well as her scent. That had changed too. It mostly had a demon scent about it, rather than it smelling half and half like before. He could barely tell she was a half demon and she seemed vicious and ready to strike at any moment and she was going to strike hard and fast. He could sense it. His wolf instincts told him that he was in danger if he wasn't careful. He found it hard to believe since she was a half demon woman, but his instincts were never wrong. He had to watch out for her. _'She's changed dramatically. What's her deal?' _Without any warning, she ran to Kouga with her arms outstretched and ready to claw him and she got his chest pretty good. It went through his armor to his skin. She didn't cut him deep, but it was enough to tick him off. "So you can be pretty fast if you want to?"

Rin of course didn't answer. Rin only continued to attack him and she was pretty fast. He was surprised how fast she actually was. She hit him several times. He got in a few punches, but they didn't really have any affect. He didn't mentally let her attacks affect him, but they did hurt him. His attacks probably hurt her, but she was so crazed with the thought of kill Kouga that she didn't let anything but the thought to kill him have any affect on her body.

Jaken was still watching from his safe location behind that tree. He was glad that she wasn't going to die, but she had returned to the destructive nature, and as always, he was in danger. Rin would probably turn her sights towards him as soon as she was done fighting Kouga. She doubted that Rin would be defeated by Kouga. At first he doubted her, but now she was the Eouro now. She was dangerous. She might just be unbeatable. The only one who could stop her was Sesshoumaru.

Rin decided that it would be best to just kill him. She was sick of playing around with him and she was anxious to finally kill something again. An electric flash of energy surrounded her hands and she began to laugh sadistically. She was ready to destroy him. She ran straight to Kouga and built up the power so it started to increase greatly and quickly.

Kouga felt his hairs begin to stand up as she came towards him with her energy increasing. _'I can sense something very wrong about her.' _Before she got too close, he began to sniff her. He knew that scent from somewhere; at least he kind of knew it from somewhere. _'Who is that? Who is this demon?'_ He noticed Jaken standing behind the tree; still hiding and remembered him from the time he saw Sesshoumaru and saved the little girl…He jumped back several feet from Rin until he was next to Ginta and Hakkaku. "Let's get out of here."

They both looked at Kouga as if he had lost his mind. "You're gonna run away from her?"

"Something's not natural about her. I don't know what it is, but I'm not doing anything without any answers." Kouga took off at full speed and Ginta and Hakkaku ran after him.

Rin could have caught Ginta and Hakkaku if she wanted to, but the truth was, she didn't want to. She didn't feel like it. They weren't a challenge. She could have caught Kouga, if she really wanted to, but she suddenly became tired and the pure satisfaction of wanting to kill suddenly began to die down. She turned around to see Jaken and her legs began to tremble. "Master Jaken?" She couldn't keep herself from suddenly getting tired and she lost the feeling in her legs and then soon collapsed unconscious.

_She looked around and didn't see Jaken and began to panic. "Oh no." She got up and turned around, trying to find Hikakustu. It was obvious that she had fallen asleep because of him. He had some kind of unnatural power over her. It frightened her. She desperately longed for Sesshoumaru. At least before she had the comfort of knowing that she would wake up and he would be there. Now, all she knew was that he wasn't there, and Hikakustu was, and he wanted to be her new Lord. She couldn't take the chance of being away from Sesshoumaru anymore, not with Hikakustu trying so hard to get her attention. "I know you're here! Just come out all ready!" _

_She felt his presence behind her and the warm touch of his hand. She grabbed his hand and pushed it away. "Stop it!" She turned around and backed away. "Leave me alone! I don't want you to ever touch me! I'm not yours, so stop pretending like I am!"_

_He stepped closer to her and grabbed her arms. "Listen Rin, you can't stop me from doing anything to you. Yes, I can help you transform, but I can't make you transform like you believe. And no, I can't make you kill anything. If you kill anything, it's because you want to kill something. No one but you can control your actions."_

"_No! You're lying! You're making me do all of these things! I'm not a bad person! I'm a good girl!"_

_"No, you're not, Rin. You're not a girl, you're a woma. It's about time you realized what that means." He stepped in closer so that his face was almost touching hers. "Being a woman means that you have feelings and obligations that normal women have, whether they are demons or humans. All women are pretty much the same. They all serve the same purpose ultimately, to serve under a male. And soon, you will see that I am the one you are to serve and then you will release me, Rin. You will." His grip tightened on her arms and he got closer. She began to panic. "You will release me Rin and then you will help me in whatever way I see fit."_

_She looked around furiously in desperation for her Lord. "Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru!_

"Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru!" She opened her eyes and saw Jaken standing over her. She was her normal self again, whatever that was! She got up and started to whimper. "Master Jaken, I want to find Lord Sesshoumaru." It wasn't long until her whimper turned in blubbering. "I'm scared."

Jaken didn't know exactly what she was so scared about. He didn't know how to comfort her, nor did he want to. He only wished that Sesshoumaru would come back soon so he would not have to deal with her alone for much longer. She was insane as a demon, half demon, or a human.

They waited impatiently for a few more days, but Sesshoumaru never showed up. When two weeks had passed, Rin was scared that Sesshoumaru wouldn't come back. She didn't think he'd just abandon her, but what if he was trapped? What if he was in trouble? What if he was…"Master Jaken," Rin was cleaning Ah-Un. "I think we should find Lord Sesshoumaru."

Jaken looked at her as if she was insane. She looked horrible. She hadn't slept in days and her eyes were bloodshot and constantly in a daze. She seemed as if she was always fighting to keep them open. "Are you strong enough to seek him out? You haven't rested in days." Rin had been keeping herself occupied with other tasks, trying to keep herself awake. She had even gone to a human village and gotten herself a new kimono. She scared all of the people in the village and practically ran everyone out, but she was able to get a new blue one, without paying for it. She tempted to get a red one, but decided that the blue one reminded her of the one Sesshoumaru just gave her, so it pleased her. She tried to keep herself entertained with playing around with Jaken from time to time and cleaning Ah-Un often. She would do anything as long as it wasn't sleeping. She really didn't have a lot of strength.

"Of course I do."

"I would like to find Lord Sesshoumaru as well, more so than you, but what if we get caught up between a barrier and something of the sort. We would be stuck without a place to turn to. Lord Sesshoumaru said to stay, and it was probably for good reason."

Rin wouldn't take no for an answer and climbed on top of Ah-Un. "I guess we'll have to find someone who is able to break a barrier then, won't we?"

In fear of being left, Jaken ran to Rin and she pulled him on top of Ah-Un. "And who do you plan on seeking out for help?"

"Who else would I know, Master Jaken?"

* * *

Elsewhere, Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and Myoga were traveling along the country side. It was a plain and ordinary sight. There weren't really any trees or animals around. There was just grass and a bright blue sky, so it wasn't too hard to spot what was coming out of the sky just a half hour from the time Rin Jaken and had left the location in the forest. Inuyasha smelt the scent and looked up and saw Ah-Un.

"Is that Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked.

"No, it's not him. It's just Rin and Jaken."

"Rin?" Sango asked tiresome. "She's been some trouble as of lately."

"Nothing I can't handle," Inuyasha said.

While everyone was paying attention to Rin's arrival, Miroku's hand slowly started to make its way over to Sango's behind. "I wonder why she's paying us a visit."

"I wonder…" Sango hit Miroku on his head before his hand even made contact. "Give it up Miroku. I'm not a fool, you disgusting pervert!"

Rin got up enough courage to jump off of Ah-Un from the air and landed gracefully on her feet. She didn't know that she would land gracefully, but she knew she would survive, and she needed the sudden jerk of the landing to wake her up. "I need your help."

Inuyasha had his hand grasped on the Tetsusaiga, but took his hand off when he heard how desperate her voice was. "You want me to help you?" Why she was asking seemed strange to him, especially since she just threatened to steal the Sacred Shikon Jewel from him. "What do you want?"

"I need you to help me find Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Sesshoumaru?" They all asked in unison.

Rin just nodded her head gently. "Yes, he's missing."

To be continued…


	13. Chapter 13: Dreams

Chapter 13

I don't own Inuyasha

"He's missing?" asked Inuyasha surprised. It did make him wonder, but then he decided to pretend like it didn't interest him at all. "Why would I care if he's missing? I know that you must be upset, but this is actually a good thing for me. I don't care if he's dead or just never coming back. It only makes life much more enjoyable for me."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome was furious. "Sit boy!"

"Ahhhh!" The beads around his neck began to glow and he was pulled down to form a carter exactly his size, but very deep.

"That wasn't very nice." Kagome did feel uneasy about Rin, especially with her last threat. "He's missing? What do you mean, he's missing?"

"He told me and Jaken not to follow him and he left. He should have been back by now. I've got to know why he's been gone for so long. I've just got to!"

"Well," Sango said, "maybe he's back and looking for you. Who knows? You shouldn't jump to conclusions."

"Lord Sesshoumaru has the ability to fly. He should have been back and able to find me and Master Jaken by now. He's missing and I need to find him!" Her voice grew much more quiet and fragile. "I can't manage on my own. I need him."

There was a long and cold silence between them. Rin was sad and desperate but Miroku had to ask. "Rin, what about your threat to take the Shikon Jewel Shards from us? Is that your true intention?"

She put her hands to her sides and raised her voice a little. "Yes, it's true. I do want to steal your jewel shards in order to become a full human again, but I swear that I will not do anything as of right now. I need your help to find Lord Sesshoumaru and I don't intend on taking advantage of your compassion. Finding Lord Sesshoumaru is my only concern right now." She turned and looked at Kagome and Inuyasha who was raising his tired body out of the hole. "I need to find him, please help me! I swear I'll do anything."

"I don't want to find Sesshoumaru. If he's not back then he's probably not coming back!"

"We'll help you," Kagome said. "We'll help you find Sesshoumaru."

Inuyasha crossed his arms and turned his head. "Are you kidding me? There's no way that I'm going to help her find Sesshoumaru!"

"But you should help you rbrother, Master Inuyasha!" Myouga jumped onto Inuyasha's nose but didn't begin to suck his blood. "There is a barrier around the whole Western Lands. Only a dog demon can enter and only you can break the barrier."

Inuyasha smacked Myouga and rolled his eyes. "Do you even know how to get there?"

Shippo answered sarcastically. "Uh…you go west."

Inuyasha's eyes bucked at the realization of such a stupid question and he then began to beat Shippo on the head. "You stupid kid! I meant besides the obvious! Of course we go west!"

"Then it's settled." Ah-Un landed with Jaken and Rin got on top. "We're heading west. Have you ever been to the Western Lands?"

"No," Jaken replied. "Sesshoumaru hasn't been home since before his father died. I did not accompany him until afterwards." Jaken gave Inuyasha a snobbish look. "Oh, and he's tagging along?"

"You were right about the barrier. We need Inuyasha. Besides, he's the only dog demon we have right now."

"He's a half breed."

"And you're a toad!"

"I am not a toad!"

Rin decided not to argue about Jaken's heritage. "It's probably a long way."

"Don't worry," Miroku said. "I have the perfect friend to assist us." A half a day later, Miroku managed to find Hachi and threatened to suck him up into his wind tunnel if he did not assist them. Hachi reluctantly agreed. So an hour later, Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and Rin were riding on top of Hachi. Jaken refused to, so he rode on Ah-Un. Even if Inuyasha was helping them, he still didn't want to be acquainted with a mere half breed.

"Jaken's so stubborn" Rin muttered to herself. She then started yawning and struggling to keep her eyes open. She was tired. "Thank you," she told Inuyasha "I really appreciate this."

"Keh, I couldn't care less if I ever saw Sesshoumaru again." Inuyasha saw her yawn again and actually became concerned. "You might want to rest before we get there. If you want to fight, then you've got to rest. You'll only be slowing me down."

"No, I can't. I'm fine, I promise I'm fine." They spent a few hours riding on top of Hachi and they still hadn't reached their destination. "I wonder what he's doing right now."

"I am curious to see what the Western Lands looks like" Sango said. "An empire of dog demons: that's got to be interesting. I've even heard little of the Western Lands in my village. I don't mean that anyone has actually ever been there, but there are rumors. Considering how strong Sesshoumaru is things might not go easy for us."

"I agree," Miroku said. "We'll have to be on our toes. We'll have to be ready for anything." Miroku suddenly stood to his feet. "I sense a strong demonic aura near. It's right ahead."

Rin looked ahead. "I sense it too." She was dumbfounded. "There's nothing there though. How is that possible?"

"We must stop!" Myouga yelled. When he gave his warning, it was too late. Hachi kept going forward and hit an invisible wall. But when he hit the barrier, everyone yelled out in pain as an electrical current shocked all of them until Hachi transformed back to normal. Ah-Uh flew to catch Rin, but Rin was falling faster than the rest of them. He instead got a hold of Kagome and Miroku. Kirara transformed and caught Sango and Shippo, but Rin and Inuyasha was farther from the others and so Kirara or Ah-Un couldn't reach them. Jaken was able to grab on to one of Kirara's tails, but Kirara went into a slight panic and tried to get him off once he started pulling too tightly. Inuyasha grabbed Rin's arm while they were falling and pulled her close so he was able to hold her in his arms.

"Hold on!" They had a rough landing and it really did hurt his legs, but he pretended like it wasn't a big deal. "Are you okay?" Inuyasha let her go and looked around to where they had landed. They were surrounded by a demonic forest. Inuyasha had never quite felt just a place with such a strong demonic aura. There was even this fog surrounding the area that made Rin sick to her stomach. It looked like something out of a nightmare.

"I'm fine. Thank you, Inuyasha." Rin yelled as she looked up and saw Hachi falling. She reached out her hands and roughly caught him. "He's a big thing, isn't he?" She sat him down gently and slapped him on his face. "Hachi?"

Hachi opened his eyes and began to panic. "Ah! This is too dangerous! Why did you bring me here?"

Rin began to chuckle at him. "There's no reason to be afraid."

"Right beyond this forest" Myouga said while standing on Inuyasha's shoulders, "is the Western Lands. We are now in the Dark Forest." He jumped on Inuyasha's nose and began to suck his blood. Inuyasha slapped him away.

"Now's not the time."

When he popped back into place, he didn't care. He was just glad he was able to get a taste of Inuyasha's blood. "This forest is dangerous to those who are not dog demons. It's the last defense to keep intruders away. That is why I needed your blood, Master Inuyasha."

"Is that so?" Kirara and Ah-Un then landed. "What will happen Myouga? What will happen to the others?"

"I don't know," Myouga said. "I've always traveled this way with your father. I've had his blood to suck. I've never suffered the effects."

Rin felt a pair of familiar hands touch her shoulders and she turned around in a quick panic to see who had touched her. When she turned around, nothing was there. "This place gives me the creeps. Let's hurry."

"Hachi," Miroku instructed getting off of . "You can stay here if you want. I'm going ahead with the others."

"That's fine by me," he said. "I do not wish to continue."

"Let's go then." Sango said. So they continued on, walking through the forest. Inuyasha stayed close to Kagome and made sure that nothing was going to come out at her. Myouga's warning made him paranoid. Rin continuously was turning around to check if something was touching her. She was now too paranoid to be sleepy.

"Look there!" Miroku pointed north to what appeared to be a young woman who was rubbing her wounded knee. She was very pretty. "That woman is in need of assistance." Sango became jealous and prepared herself for beating Miroku in his head. She then looked at Miroku dumbfounded as he walked over to nothing and began having a conversation with nothing. "Would you like to bare my children?"

"What's he doing?"

"Maybe that's what this place does," said Kagome "It makes you see things that aren't really-Ah!" Kagome jump on top of Inuyasha and started screaming. "Ah! Spiders! There are giant spiders everywhere!"

Inuyasha looked down on the ground. "Kagome, nothing is there! There are no spiders!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" The spiders began to crawl up Inuyasha's legs and Kagome began to panic even more. "There's nothing there?" She jumped off of him and stayed still. "Okay, I'll believe you…" She was terrified. It took all of her will to stand still, even when they started to come toward her. She closed her eyes. "Everything's okay. They're not real!" When they crawled up her legs, Kagome screamed louder. "They are real! I feel them!" Kagome began to shake herself over and over again. "Ahhh! Inuyasha, do something!"

"Sango, will you tell her that nothing's there!"

Sango was too busy looking off in another direction, completely taken in by her illusions. "Kohaku?" She stepped closer to what appeared to be her brother. "Kohaku!" She ran off to catch him.

"Sango, come back." Inuyasha heard Miroku screaming and walked over to him. "Miroku?"

"My wind tunnel is out of control! I can't stop it! Stay back!" In an attempt to keep his friends safe, Miroku ran away from Inuyasha.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha's voice did nothing. "Snap out of it, you guys!"

"Sit!" After Inuyasha's cry of pain, Kagome began to rant on. "You stupid jerk! You think you can two time me and get away with it? I don't think so!" Kagome stomped away angrily, thinking that she saw Inuyasha kissing Kikyou.

It took a while for Inuyasha to get up. Kagome sat him pretty hard. When he did, there was only Rin left standing by Ah-Un, who hadn't started into a panic like the rest of them. "Are you okay, Inuyasha?"

"What happened to the others?" Inuyasha mostly wanted to know where that darn Kagome was. "What happened to Kagome? She'll pay for that!" He looked around and sniffed the air. "I can get them. Stay here."

"No!" She grabbed his arm and wouldn't let him go. Rin had to struggle not to cry. "He's here," she said quietly. "He's here." She began to shake, feeling his presence surrounding her and his eyes were burning as he stared into her eyes. She didn't want to be alone with him. Even if she knew he wasn't real, she couldn't deal with it. It was too much. He was too powerful.

"'He' who?" He tried to pull his arm away. "I have to find my friends! Let go of me, Rin!"

"But I can't. He's here. He comes when I dream and he's coming for me now. I know he is. Don't leave me Inuyasha! Don't let him take me!" She started to cry. "He's in my dreams. He tries to take me away and change me. He wants me to help him, but I can't help him! Please don't let him! Don't leave me!"

Inuyasha forced his arm away and grabbed her shoulders. "Hey, I'm going to find the others. Just stay here and I'll be back. Don't run away. Stay in this spot and then I'll help you find Sesshoumaru."

Rin started to sob harder, but she nodded her head. "Okay Inuyasha. Go find Kagome and the others."

He nodded. "Be strong." Inuyasha decided to find Kagome first. He did see her last and he could smell her scent the strongest.

When Inuyasha was out of sight, Rin cringed as she felt Hikakustu place one hand on her shoulder and the other around her waist. "Don't be scared, Rin. I'm not going to hurt you." She said nothing. "Calm down, Rin. I'm not even real as of right now." She still said nothing and was shaking at his very touch. "Oh, you're such a child. That's what your problem is. You don't realize the truth about yourself. You don't realize that you're a woman." He brought his body closer and whispered in her ear. "You're my woman."

"You're not real."

"I'm alive, somewhere. Won't you find me? Won't you wake me up, Rin? You know you want to."

"No, I don't!" she screamed. "I don't want to help you!" She forced him off of her. "I don't want to help you. I want to find my Lord and be with him forever. I want you to leave me alone! I don't want you to ever come back!" She faced him with fire in her eyes. "And I want to become a human again, and I want what's left of your Clan to die!" She reached forward to punch Hikakustu, but the illusion disappeared. _'He's gone?'_

"No, of course I'm not gone." He was behind her and before Rin could even turn around; Hikakustu grabbed her and pulled her to the ground. "I'm real enough to do that!" Rin struggled to get up, but he held her down. "Rin, I'm aware of how you feel, but I'm not giving you up. I'm not giving you up at all, not until she wakes up."

"She?" Rin felt something inside her spark and she suddenly began to get more relaxed. She wasn't going to struggle to get away, she wasn't going to argue with him, and she wasn't even thinking about finding her lord at that moment. She could only think of Hikakustu and wonder what this feeling was that was beginning to take over her. She tried to put some kind of restraints of her new found feelings and her speech, but it wasn't helping. When she heard "she" she knew who he was talking about. Deep down inside, she knew. She could feel it. She could feel the darkness inside her rising.

"Not until she releases me!" He calmed down and got closer to her face. "Wake up!"

"Wake up?" she asked half asleep and half awake. She was suddenly going into a daze and was about to let go of everything. "She…you want her to wake up?" Rin, only half aware, touched Hikakustu's face, almost with a passion. "Her…me? Wake up?"

"Yes, it's time to wake up." His lips got closer to hers and she lifted her head up to have his lips meet hers. _'Wake up.'_

"Rin!" Inuyasha grabbed her arm and lifted her off of her feet. She was still in a daze, muttering. "Rin!" Inuyasha shook her until all of her consciousness returned. "Rin, are you okay?"

Rin looked around and saw Miroku lying on top of Kirara unconscious and Jaken and Shippo on Ah-Un unconscious. Kagome and Sango were standing next to each other, looking embarrassed and angry. "What happened to Master Jaken?"

"He needed some persuasion" Inuyasha said. "And Miroku almost sucked me in the wind tunnel. I had to take him out!"

"And Shippo?" Kagome asked.

"He bit me!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Let's just get out of here before I'm attacked by giant bugs again." Kagome shuttered at the thought. "Let's get a move on."

"Thank you, Inuyasha." Rin smiled. "You didn't let him take me." _'And I sure was about to let him have me.'_

He looked surprised at first, but then returned to his normal self. "Look, I don't know who 'he' is, but I'm glad I got here before you bit me or something." He started walking forward and Sango, Kagome, Rin, Kirara, and Ah-Un followed.

"We're almost there" Myouga said. "Just hold on a little longer."

Rin nodded. _'Please be safe, Lord Sesshoumaru.'_

* * *

"You smell something?" asked one dog demon to another. His hair was short and golden brown. His eyes were an ice cold blue. His skin complexion was only a little lighter than his hair. He was tall and muscular, but still slim. One glance and you could tell he was powerful. "I believe there are intruders coming."

"No way," replied a female dog demon. "That's practically impossible. Are you telling me that someone made it past the Dark Forest?" This dog demon was slim and tall. She was fully developed and very pleasing to the eye. Her skin was like the color of warm coco, her eyes were amber, and her hair was jet black. "Are you absolutely sure?" She sniffed the air. "I guess you're right. That doesn't mean that they can break our barrier."

* * *

"Now Master Inuyasha, use the Tetsusaiga to break the barrier!"

"Right!" Inuyasha unsheathed his sword and made it transform into a giant fang. "This barrier is going down!" The Tetsusaiga began to glow a brilliant red and Jaken grumbled as Inuyasha swung his sword forward. "Tetsusaiga!" The barrier then began to wither away into nothing, and the giant walls appeared, along with the giant doors blocking their way through.

* * *

"No way!" The female dog demon yelled. She left her post high up in the wall and looked down below at the intruders. "They broke the barrier?" She grunted. "Open the gates!"

"For what?" asked the male dog demon. "Are you crazy? We're not allowed to let them in!"

"We can kill them before they get inside, Rashigi! Besides, I want to see them. One of them is a dog demon."

"A dog demon?"

"Yes, and he has the Tetsusaiga! I say we greet them and kill them."

He smirked. "So, would you prefer if we transform for them?"

"Sure, but lets play with them first and then we'll transform. Open the gates!"

* * *

"How do we get in?" asked Rin. "Should we smash the doors down?"

"No, we knock them down!" Inuyasha raised his sword and prepared himself for the wind scar, but then, the doors started to open. "What? What's going on?" He put his sword back in its sheath and prepared himself for whatever could be behind those doors.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken yelled, just now waking up from Inuyasha's beatings. He was the last to wake up, since his was the most severe.

The doors began to open up, but barely. They only opened up large enough for two dog demons to squeeze through. The female dog demon decided to speak first. "All of you have entered the Western Lands. Our ruler doesn't take too kind to humans, so I'm afraid I'll have to kill you."

The male began to laugh. "Are you telling me that a monk, a demon slayer, two half breeds, a squirrel, a toad demon, and a…" When he got to Kagome, he didn't know quite what to say. "I've never seen such strange clothing. What are you girl?"

Kagome became offended and yelled "I'm a priestess!"

"And I am not a squirrel!" Shippo was furious.

"And I am not a toad demon!" Jaken yelled. "I am Lord Sesshoumaru's vassal!"

"And I am his ward!" Rin yelled. "I must find him!"

"What?" The female demon asked in anger. "How dare you speak such lies? Why would Lord Sesshoumaru let a half breed follow him around?" She managed to place even more disgust on her face. "You're an Eouro, aren't you?"

The word hit a nerve deep within Rin and she began to grunt in anger. She cracked her knuckles. She wasn't completely out of control, but she was able to fight. "And what if I am?" She struggled to keep herself in control.

"I guess I have no choice but to destroy all of you disgusting creatures, but you'll die first!"

Rashigi cracked his knuckles as well but was preparing to charge at Inuyasha first. "So, why do you have the Tetsusaiga?"

"It's mine! Got a problem with that?"

"Really? I guess that would make you Inuyasha, Lord Sesshoumaru's annoying half breed brother." He smirked. "Ziah, don't kill Inuyasha. We'll let Sesshoumaru deal with his brother. The fate of the others is of no concern to me."

"Understood!"

"Ziah?" Rin asked. "You're Ziah?"

"You've heard of me?" She chuckled. "Too bad you won't get a better chance to know me." She cracked her knuckles and then stretched out her arms. "Watch closely." She easily made a light whip extend from one of her nails on each hand. "How do you like?"

"I've seen that already!" Inuyasha barked. "Sesshoumaru does the exact same thing."

"Does he now?" As soon as she was done with her sentence, light whips extended from all of the nails from her hands. She had ten whips, all as powerful as Sesshoumaru's. "And you address him as Lord Sesshoumaru!"

"Over my dead body!"

"That can be arranged!" Rashigi charged forward to Inuyasha, while Ziah ran forward to Rin. Jaken grabbed his staff of two heads and prepared to defend Rin. Miroku held his staff tightly, and Sango prepared to throw her weapon if she needed to. Kagome grabbed her bow and arrows, even though she didn't want to shoot anything. Shippo was going to stay close to Ah-Uh, since he was scared to death.

"Wind scar!"

To be continued…


	14. Chapter 14: Reunited

Chapter 14

I don't own Inuyasha

"Wind scar!" Inuyasha waited for his attack to hit Rashigi but he was too fast and was easily able to dodge Inuyasha's attack. _'Man, he's fast!' _

Rashigi only smirked and said, "That's not good enough, half demon. You're not as quick as your father or your brother."

"I'll show you what I can do!" Inuyasha charged him and tried to slash him many times with the Tetsusaiga. Rashigi however was too fast and was dodging Inuyasha every time.

Ziah stroked her whip forward to Rin, but Rin jumped out of the way, but barely. Rin was still too much of herself to actually fight and survive against Ziah. It worried her. "Master Jaken, would you be so kind as to help me?" Jaken began to fire the staff of two heads, but he missed Ziah every time. Even Ah-Un began to fight, but he too couldn't hit the fast Ziah.

Kagome noticed her struggle. "What on earth?" _'I thought she could fight better than that. She's never in control each time she's fought Inuyasha. She's aware of what she's doing right now. She won't be able to win.'_ "Miroku," Kagome yelled, "you've got to help Rin!"

"Indeed," Miroku was about to take the sacred beads off of his cursed hand, but he was distracted once Ziah jumped closer to Rin and prepared to strike her with her light whips. "I can't if Rin is in the way. I could possible suck her up."

"Rin," Kagome yelled, "you've got to get out of the way!"

"I'm trying!" Rin tried to get out of the way and was succeeding, but she wasn't doing a very good job. "Stop this!" Rin yelled. "I'm his ward! He would want to see me! He doesn't want me dead!"

"Stop lying!" Ziah said. "Lord Sesshoumaru wouldn't associate himself with a disgusting half breed demon such as you. I'm not going to be convinced by childish nonsense."

Sango prepared to throw her weapon, but a toxic and demonic gas began to leak through the open gates. Sango had to put her mask on. "Kagome, Miroku, get away from the gas." Sango backed away from the gas. Her mask might not have protected her from all of it, only some.

"Can't take it" Ziah asked. "You pathetic humans are unable to withstand our environment. Why you dared to try to come to this place is beyond me. Even if you humans got inside, you'd be dead in a few moments. Your journey here was absolutely futile."

"Kagome!" Inuyasha jumped away from Rashigi and to Kagome. "Kagome, we've got to get out of here!"

"We can't leave yet," Kagome began to ready her bow and arrow. "Just trust me, Inuyasha!" Kagome fired her bow into the open gate and the demonic gases coming out began to dissipate. "See, Inuyasha, you just needed to trust me." Kagome smiled confidently. "That's all you had to do!"

Rashigi became angry with Kagome's recklessness. "You disgusting human!" He ran to Kagome to claw her, but Inuyasha picked her up and got out of the way in time. Inuyasha kept dodging Rashigi with Kagome in his arms. "How dare you!" He decided to stop chasing after them. "You're a normal half demon, Inuyasha. The girl though, this other half demon girl is a very unusual half demon." He smirked. "I think we should transform for them."

"Transform?" Shippo asked worriedly.

Ziah stopped struggling to attack Rin and her light whips disappeared. "You would like to transform for them? Sure. Let's show them what it's like to fight a real full fledged demon."

"Transform?" Kagome asked. "Oh, this isn't good. Sesshoumaru was huge transformed. I don't want to deal with two of them at once. We weren't even up to his knees."

Rashigi's smirk only widened. "Sesshoumaru's not yet full grown, but I am. Would you like to see my full demon form?" His eyes began to glow with a destructive red passion. The size of his fangs increased greatly, as well as his claws. "Just wait. I'll be careful and try not to step on you," he said sarcastically.

"Stand down," said a voice from within the walls.

Rin heard and smiled brightly as her eyes filled with undeniable hope. "Lord Sesshoumaru! Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin ran as fast as she could to the gates, but was stopped when Ziah jumped in front of her and punched her in the face, knocking her down.

"What did I tell you? Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't know you."

"You want us to stand down?" Rashigi returned to normal as Sesshoumaru stepped through the gates. "But why Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin stood up and ran up to him as fast as he could, but the closer she got, she noticed the anger in his eyes, and she started to slow down with each step. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" Her excitement faded away. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I wanted to find you. You had been gone for a while so I…" Her eyes lost the happiness and hope that they had possessed and grew fragile. "I uh…I missed you."

Ziah grunted and ran to Sesshoumaru. "This girl claims that she knows you, but I know good and well that you don't associate yourself with worthless half breeds."

Sesshoumaru didn't say anything for a long time. He was furious with Rin, but he didn't lose his calm. It was best to keep his anger under control. Anger was pointless in situations such as this. That was one reason why he and Inuyasha were two different fighters and why Sesshoumaru was superior. Inuyasha fought with anger and aggression, while Sesshoumaru fought calmly with grace. He kept himself under control, even though the fact that she had disobeyed orders had irritated him. "I told you to stay." That was all he said to Rin. He didn't say another word to her after that. He turned his sights toward the surprised Ziah who didn't believe that he actually knew her. "Stand down." He was still angry with Rin and Jaken. Jaken shouldn't have let her go.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken ran to Sesshoumaru but backed away once he saw the look in his eyes. "Uh…Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru looked ahead to Inuyasha, someone who shouldn't ever be in the Western Lands. He had no right to be there in a place where full fledge demons resided. He didn't deserve to be there. "Inuyasha," he drew out Tokijin. "You have no place here."

"I didn't even want to," he yelled. "It was that darn girl who wanted us to find you, but if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get."

"Sit boy!"

"Ahhhhh!"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Can't you stay in control for just one minute, Inuyasha?" Kagome realized how upset Rin had become. "Uh…she missed you…" Kagome tried to laugh to break the silence, but everyone, especially the two dog demons were still in bewilderment while Sesshoumaru was still crossed. "Sorry about the sacred arrow in your…home." She blushed. "Didn't really think about it…ha…ha…" She frowned. "Hey, well, maybe we should go." She stepped back. The demonic gases began to leak through the doors again. "Uh…we should leave now, I think."

Inuyasha stood up angrily. "And why'd you do that Kagome?"

"I'm trying to stop you two from fighting!"

"What should we do?" asked Rashigi. "Should we let them go, even Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha's presence at his home brought utter and sheer disgust to his face. He especially shouldn't have brought a priestess, a monk, and a demon slayer there. They were all enemies to demons. Rin and Jaken shouldn't have been there either. Who did they think they were, disobeying orders? Now two half breeds had set foot on his home when there never should have been even one of their kind. Rin wasn't even supposed to be a half demon. She's supposed to be a human girl, which only further complicated things. Sesshoumaru was determined not to let humans so close, not when they destroyed the lives of demons every time they were allowed to get close, like his father, or even Inuyasha, who was sealed away for 50 years. His thoughts were usually clear, but now his thoughts were clouded. He wanted to destroy Inuyasha for bringing such shame, but there were more important matters at hand and he didn't want to cause a commotion among his people. They had a war to win and didn't exactly have time to deal with Inuyasha and his pest behavior. The war beginning was his most important priority. Unnecessary conflicts should be avoided. Sesshoumaru turned around and started walking back inside. "Stand down. If they enter, kill them."

Ziah saw the look in Rin's eyes and even though Ziah was a demon, she was still a woman and could see the how much passion and desire resided within Rin's eyes. _'Don't tell me that this girl is actually in love with…' _Her jealousy began to rise within her. "You heard him. If you enter, you'll be killed." She started walking back inside. _'Why does she know Lord Sesshoumaru anyway?'_

Rashigi went back inside the walls as well, and the gates were closed. Rin ran to the doors and began to feel on them, hoping that they would once again open up, but they didn't. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin said sadly. _'But why wouldn't you let me be by your side?'_

"Keh, it figures." He grunted. "Come on Rin, it's obvious that he's ashamed of you and-"

"Sit!" Inuyasha was slammed into the ground before he could continue on talking. Kagome placed her hand on Rin's shoulder. "Hey, it's alright. He's probably got a lot on his mind as of right now. There's a reason why he didn't let you go inside."

"You have embarrassed him!" Jaken pointed out. "That is why we have been banished from his home." He practically started crying. "Now I am not able to see the magnificent home where Lord Sesshoumaru grew up!"

"Stop being so hard on her!" Kagome yelled.

"And why not? He was displeased with her! She disobeyed orders that he directly gave and she then followed him here. I would be angry as well if I were Lord Sesshoumaru. Rin's appearance is also disgraceful. It's bad enough that he has to associate himself with her, but to actually have the gull to come to his home and reveal herself to his fellow dog demons is distasteful. How could she be so foolish?"

"Shut up!" Shippo yelled.

"Don't treat her like that," Miroku instructed. "Yes Sesshoumaru is angry with her, but you don't have to take it out on her. He was also upset with you, Jaken."

"Leave her alone," Sango instructed.

"No," Rin said as she dropped to her knees and began to mope. "He's right. I shouldn't have come. I might have been worried, but he gave me and order. By being worried, I only doubted his abilities and because I did that, he is most upset with me. I had no right to doubt my Lord. I shouldn't have worried myself so much." She only began to sob more.

Inuyasha got up from his crader. "Look, demons will always despise you for who you are. It's the price for being a half demon. You didn't take this life on by choice, but you had better get used to it."

"Shut up, Inuyasha!" Shippo yelled.

"But he's right," Rin said. "Not only that, but I came because I was scared…for myself. I didn't want to be alone. I've been so scared ever since I've been a demon. Ever since Naraku attacked me-"

"-Naraku attacked you?" Inuyasha was suddenly interested. Before he had just a yelling tone, upset that he had to state the obvious. Now he was anxious to learn more information, perhaps on the whereabouts of Naraku. "Well, tell me!"

"Well, he attacked me a while ago. I used up a lot of my power and became a human again. I don't know where he is. All I know is that Lord Sesshoumaru saved me." A sudden burst of determination came over her. "And I'm not leaving this spot until I get to see him again! You can all leave if you want, but I'm staying!"

"Fine then," Inuyasha said. "Stay if you want to."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelled. "We should stay."

"No," Jaken yelled. "You should go. Lord Sesshoumaru was also crossed about you all being here as well. None of you belong here and I suggest you all leave immediately." Jaken took a seat next to Rin.

"We'll be fine," Rin said with a smile. "I promise that I'll be alright. Don't worry about me."

"But I-" Kagome's speech was interrupted once Miroku placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's best if we leave. We can't stay here. It will only provoke Sesshoumaru into conflict. She's not in any real danger." He smiled. "He might claim to hate half breeds, but if he would let Rin die, then she wouldn't have been traveling with him for all this time, Kagome."

Kagome nodded. "Okay. You just remember to be brave Rin and don't lose control."

"I promise I'll try, Kagome." As they left and went back into the forest, Ah-Un, Rin, and Jaken sat by the gates and waited for Lord Sesshoumaru to come through. Jaken had a feeling that things wouldn't be that simple though and Rin had a feeling that she would see Lord Sesshoumaru a whole lot faster than what she originally thought. _'Oh Lord Sesshoumaru.'_

* * *

As Sesshoumaru was walking with his comrades, he was still upset, but he was glad to see that she wasn't hurt, even if he wouldn't admit it to himself. _'Rin.'_

TO BE CONTINUED…


	15. Chapter 15: Sleep Walker

Chapter 15

I don't own Inuyasha

Rin yawned and struggled to keep her eyes open. "Master Jaken, when do you think this war will be over? I really miss Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin suddenly woke up once she slapped her cheek, feeling a bug. When she looked at her hand, there was a squished Myouga. "Oh, it's you. I forgot about you. Have you been here the whole time?" Rin had slapped him so hard, Myouga didn't respond at first. Rin decided that she didn't care anymore. She was so sleepy. She was going to pass out at any moment. "I'm so tired." Her back was up against the gates and she didn't have the strength to stay awake. _'I hope nothing happens, but I've got to sleep...'_

* * *

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Ziah said, addressing him inside of Sesshoumaru's castle. They were on a balcony over looking the Western Lands. Sesshoumaru had missed his land, but it wasn't enough. He wanted more. He still wanted his own legacy. "Our people have missed you." She tried not to blush. "I have especially missed you." She noticed that he was not giving her any emotions, which she expected. She went on talking anyway. "Well, there are four types of people in this world. There are those who are enemies, there are those who are allies, those who are friends, and those who are..." She looked at his beautiful face. "There are those also who are more than friends. I was wondering-"

"-Your place?" He said it so coldly. He didn't mean to say it coldly, but that's just the way it came out. He had no intention with going in the direction she was thinking about, not with a war coming.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, forgive me. You are very focused and there are more important issues that surround us now. But I warn you," she said with a smile, a very attractive smile, "I will bring this matter up after the war once you start your rule here." She noticed a change in his eyes, almost a hint of hesitation. "Are you..." her smile fell completely? "You're not staying here, are you?" He didn't answer, but she didn't need him to. "You know, no one is comparing you to your father. No one thinks badly of you if you decided to just stay here and rule. You inherited this land; you don't need to seek for your own land." She realized that his mind couldn't be changed. "I realize that you want your own legacy, but if you're just trying to prove yourself to anyone-"

"-I have no intention of proving myself to anyone except for myself. No one else's opinion matters. I don't need a legacy handed to me, I intend on being the strongest demon that there ever was, and I will be."

_'He's still upset that he couldn't challenge his father for the title of strongest demon. He probably knows right now that his father is still stronger, but he hasn't even fully grown yet. He'll be the greatest.' _"I wish you luck on your journey. Rashigi and I have kept things running very well since you've been gone."

"I'm aware."

It didn't sound like a compliment, but she knew it was and Ziah held those words close to her heart. _'His father had told him long ago that I was the best woman to be his wife. I know that there is no woman he is closer to than I. Why won't he admit it?' _"Lord Sesshoumaru?" she asked curiously.

Sesshoumaru could tell by the tone of her voice that something he wasn't going to like was going to come out of her mouth. He prepared himself for whatever question there might be, but he knew what was probably coming. "Lord Sesshoumaru, why is it that the half breed female follows you? Why are you keeping her as your ward?"

Before Sesshoumaru could answer, there was a resonating boom that echoed throughout the land as a bright red light shown from the location of the entrance into the Western lands. "What is that?" Ziah's attention had just been redirected to the direction of the smoke beginning to fill the sky and its origin. "Have our gates been breached?"

_'Rin, what are you doing?' _A hint on anger flared in his face. There wasn't even any curiosity. It was anger. He didn't think his brother was around, but how could Rin do that? It had to be the Tetsusaiga, but then again, the Tenseiga could usually feel the presence of the Tetsusaiga, so Inuyasha couldn't possibly be around. _'It's Rin. Rin is attacking our borders.' _

"The intruders will pay!" Ziah jumped from off of the balcony and gracefully landed on her feet. _'It has to be the Eouro girl. She's doing this and she will pay!'_

Sesshoumaru was angry that Rin had once again managed to disobey him, but if he did nothing, Ziah would surely kill Rin_. 'What is the meaning behind her multi-personalities? Why does she always change from time to time? I can't smell the scent of a half breed. I smell the scent of a demon, but she's not in any danger. How is it possible that Rin was able to unleash her demon blood if she is not in any danger?' _

Sesshoumaru at first didn't show any signs of leaving, so Ziah figured that she was going to be allowed to kill her. _'This should be quite pleasurable. I can't wait until I destroy her.'_ Ziah did notice the change in her scent. _'That's strange. She has the scent of a full demon, rather than that of a half breed. What is she doing? Who is this girl? The Eouro's are supposed to be extinct. How is it possible that she's alive?'_ "I'll get to the bottom of this!" When Ziah got to the gates, it was indeed Rin who had breached the borders. She was fighting many dog demons, but she was fighting different than before. It looked as if she knew exactly what she was doing. Before she couldn't fight at all and now she was taking on many dog demons. "Prepare to die, Eouro!" _'She's not making any sense.'_

That caught Rin's attention and she stopped fighting the crowd of dog demons and ran directly to Ziah. Ziah was surprised by the strength and speed that Rin was now demonstrating. "You're doing well half breed, but you won't survive. You should have left with Inuyasha and his friends!"

Jaken was peeking through the hole in the gates that Rin had made with her energy._ 'She shouldn't have fallen asleep. Now that demon has taken over her mind again!' _"Rin, stop it or Lord Sesshoumaru will slaughter you."

Rin did not respond to Jaken. She didn't show any response to her own name. "Rin?" Ziah asked. "That's your name, isn't it?" Rin didn't respond. "Hello, who are you? Are you Rin, or not?" Ziah began to get frustrated and charged at Rin with a light whip. "You deserve to die!"

Rin dodge it every time. Ziah now couldn't touch her. Rin was even laughing sadistically. Ziah stopped for a brief moment, shocked at how much better Rin had become. _'I must follow Lord Hikakustu's orders. I'll have to kill the girl, since she's in the way.'_

Ziah noticed Rin's eyes were dazed. _'That's strange. What's the matter with her?'_ "I'm going to enjoy killing you!"

"Ziah," Sesshoumaru called, landing from his flight over to Rin. "Stand down."

"Stand down?" She was outraged, but calmed down for the sake of not being on Sesshoumaru's bad side.

Sesshoumaru got a better look at Rin's eyes. Sesshoumaru ran to Rin and quickly punched her in her face, knocking her a few feet back. She landed on her back and woke up. "She was sleeping."

"Sleeping?" Ziah asked. "She was sleeping the whole time?"

Rin sat up and touched her face. "That hurt! What just happened?" She looked around at all the dog demons growling at her. "W-w-what did I do?"

Jaken yelled. "Rin, you might want to apologize to Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Rin stood up and ran to Sesshoumaru and bowed her head. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I am very sorry for whatever I have just done."

_'It's taking control of her during her sleep now. It's more serious than I thought.'_ "Rin," he said harshly, but he couldn't go on. There was a rumbling and demonic wails coming from somewhere. All of the dog demons began to look around tensely, except for Sesshoumaru, who had narrowed his eyes in at Rin.

Rin backed away. "I am very sorry. What did I do?"

"You probably signaled the rest of the demons to attack," Ziah said. "Who are you, anyway? Why is it that you go crazy in your sleep? How come you can't fight while you're awake, and why are you even Sesshoumaru's ward?"

All eyes were on Sesshoumaru and Rin. No one understood why a half breed girl was around Sesshoumaru and everyone wanted to know about Rin. Ziah didn't wait for an answer. "You had better explain yourself girl! Do you not understand how much trouble you are in? I'll have to kill you now, girl!"

"But I…I didn't mean to do anything!"

"Answer my question! The only Eouro alive was sealed away by Sesshoumaru's father and our former leader. If any sort of demon despised humans, it was the Eouro. There was only one half breed Eouro in the history of their entire race and she died a long time ago. So who are you and how did you get here?"

_'She's right,'_ Sesshoumaru thought to himself. _'The only half breed Eouro was a female and she happened to be Hikakustu's mate.' _"She was a half breed." All of the dog demon's attention went to Sesshoumaru as he began to speak. "But there was something odd about her scent. The scent of human never quite was on her."

With everyone's attention on Rin and Sesshoumaru, Jaken and Ah-Un snuck through the hole in the gate without being attacked. "If she never had a human scent on her, then how was she a half breed?" Jaken asked.

"That's the mystery." Sesshoumaru stepped closer to Rin and she began to become nervous. _'What have you been hiding, Rin?'_

The sky began to darken the wails of demons became louder and everyone could feel the demon presence. "What's going on?" Rin asked frightened.

"Run back home," Ziah said. "We don't have time to deal with creatures like you. You've probably never fought dragon demons before, have you?"

Rin shook her head. "I haven't really ever fought any demons at all."

_'There's nowhere she'd be safe,'_ Sesshoumaru thought to himself, looking at Rin. Even though she had disobeyed him and lost his trust and respect, he still could only think of her safety. _'Now she's in danger.'_ "Rin, stay by Ah-Un."

She nodded. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"And what about the rest of us?" Ziah asked.

"Prepare for battle."

Rin ran to Ah-Un and had closed her eyes in fear. She could feel something strange coming. She wasn't sure what it was, but she knew it was something evil and something very powerful. _'What is her problem?'_ Ziah grunted. She hated Rin. She truly did. She was strange. She was a half breed who had no business traveling around with Sesshoumaru and to make everything worse, she was a female. She was a pretty female. She hated her. She really did. She was jealous, even though she would not admit it. If anyone was to have Lord Sesshoumaru, then Ziah was determined that it was going to be her. _'Never mind about her, I've got to transform.' _

Rin heard the sounds from the demons approaching and she whimpered in fear. All of the other dog demons had left her side and Sesshoumaru was thankful for that. Her actions were truly embarrassing. She had caused so much trouble. By Inuyasha coming and using the Tetsusaiga, he broke the barrier that was around the Western Lands and another one hadn't been put up yet, leaving them vulnerable. Rin had broken the gates, so all types of demons that couldn't fly could now get inside. _'Why do I allow her to stay with me? She's caused nothing but annoyance. My squabbles with Naraku, the bothersome Eouro Clan, and even more frequent visits from Inuyasha are all thanks to her. She's always ruining her kimonos and complaining about how she's hungry and she always needs to be rescued. She is a mortal, a pathetic mortal. Why do I bother?' _

The demons drawing closer scared her. She opened her eyes for a brief moment and didn't see the enemy, but a fully transformed black dog demon a far distance, but she still looked huge. Rin covered her eyes again. "Honestly, Rin!" Jaken said. "It's just a dog demon transformed. You should see Lord Sesshoumaru's transformed state. It certainly is glorious!" Jaken turned to Sesshoumaru and waited for him to transform, but he didn't. He didn't even really prepare himself for battle. He just kept focusing on Rin. He had to question why he had even saved her that day from death.

Thousands of dragon demons began to pour out from the sky. He drew out Tokijin instead of transforming, thinking that he honestly didn't need to transform. They were just dragon demons after all. They were powerful, but nothing if he could keep his guard up. Every time something looked as if it was getting close to Rin, Ah-Un would blast it and Jaken as well. They were protecting her, but only from the lesser demons that weren't dragons. If a dragon was to attack, then they wouldn't be able to protect her. When Rin opened her eyes, Sesshoumaru was not around. _'He must be really mad at me. He's not going to protect me?'_ She looked around at all the dog demons that had begun to fight in their transformed state. They all were frightening to her, but she still wondered what Sesshoumaru looked like. _'He is fighting a war. He can't just protect me all the time. He has to fight.' _She nearly jumped out of her skin as she heard a dragon shriek from above.

"Oh no!" cried Jaken.

Ah-Un tried blasting it, but nothing would stop it from coming towards Rin. _'No!'_ Rin suddenly got determined. _'Everyone thinks I'm useless. I have to prove them wrong. I have to do something! Lord Sesshoumaru's mad at me because I've caused him so much trouble. I've got to help to make it up to him.'_ She felt her hands begin to burn as energy began to surround them. _'I've got to!' _"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" She screamed as she blasted the dragon that decided to target her. She put everything she had into the blast. Even Jaken was impressed. "Did I get it?" She fell to her knees and Jaken began to dance around.

"You got it!"

Rin looked at her hands and her nails began to shrink. "I'm becoming human again." He body was smoking as her transformation into a normal human took place. _'I've used up my power.' _

One of the dog demons, Ziah, had never taken her eyes off of Rin. She was transformed and fighting, but she was paying close attention. _'Interesting.__ That half breed turned into a normal mortal, even though nothing significant happened. She certainly is a strange one.'_

"A mortal!" one dragon screamed. "The mortal is mine!" The dragon demon spotted Rin and even though she was tired, her adrenaline started pumping and she ran as fast as she could away from the dragon demon. "Run master Jaken!"

"Rin!" Jaken yelled. Ah-Un blasted the dragons, but it acted as if it was nothing and continued to chase Rin, who couldn't keep up for much longer. It wasn't too long before Rin tripped and fell. She felt so weak due to the demonic gases. They were going to kill her in a few moments. _'I shouldn't have come here.'_ She began to cry. "Lord Sesshoumaru!"

The dragon demon opened its mouth and a high energy beam shot forth towards Rin. She couldn't dodge it and she thought it was all over for her. She closed her eyes tightly and waited for death. _'I'll miss you, Lord Sesshoumaru.'_

Rin opened her eyes once she heard a familiar voice grunting in pain as one arm wrap around her. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" She was excited, until she noticed that he didn't have time to get out of the way of the dragon demon's attack. He was merely blocking it with his own body.

Ziah was the only one who had noticed it all happen. She saw Sesshoumaru rescue the girl Rin and when the smoke cleared, there was no sign of either of them. _'Lord Sesshoumaru?'_

TO BE CONTINUED…


	16. Chapter 16: Her Protector

Chapter 16

I don't own Inuyasha

Rin lazily opened her eyes, but could barely see from the surrounding darkness. She felt someone near her and when she squinted her eyes, she could see. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" Suddenly, a light began to surround them as the Tenseiga placed a barrier up in order to protect Rin. "I can breathe." The light made the view of Sesshoumaru clear and she gasped once she saw him. She had never seen him so injured, not even the time when she had first seen him after his first encounter with Inuyasha's wind scar. "Lord Sesshoumaru!"

It appeared to be a cave that they were in and they were buried alive in it as well. Sesshoumaru's back was pressed against the wall. It was a very small space they were in, but Rin was just thankful that they were both alive. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" she immediately began to cry. He had his eyes closed, but at the mention of his name, he opened them to gaze upon the crying girl.

"Rin?"

"Oh Lord Sesshoumaru, I am very sorry. You are hurt because of me! If I wouldn't have come here, then you wouldn't be wounded. I'm sorry!" She couldn't stop herself from crying. The sight of her lord being so hurt upset her so much.

His clothes were tattered and burned off in some places. His body was bleeding and burned as well. His armor was even cracked, but he couldn't understand her worry. _'Does she actually think I'm going to die?'_ Although Sesshoumaru had never quite felt this much pain, he wouldn't allow himself to think such a ridiculous thing.

"It's all my fault. It's because of me that you're hurt. If I wouldn't have come, then you wouldn't be hurt. If I wouldn't have fallen asleep, then I wouldn't have signaled the demons, and now you're hurt." She tried to wipe her tears away, but they just kept falling from her eyes. "It's my fault you're at war with Naraku, and I am nothing but a burden to you, my Lord. Even now, dealing with the demon I have become is too much trouble. I've caused you nothing but pain! I'm so sorry. I'm so very sorry!"

The sight of her was almost comical. Sesshoumaru chuckled lightly, which surprised Rin. She had never really seen him laugh before. Now didn't seem like the opportune moment to start. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" she asked worriedly.

"You think I am going to die, don't you?" She silenced herself. That's what she truly thought, even though she didn't want to believe. "You think I'm going to die, and you think I'm going to give my life to save you." His sick humor was turned in a snarl. "You think I am going to die the same way my father did, rescuing a mortal woman from death."

She had never heard him talk this much to her, nor had Rin had ever heard him call her a woman before. She almost blushed for a moment. "Lord Sesshoumar?" she questioned.

"I will not suffer the same pitiful fate he did." He struggled to stand to his feet. "I shall not-" he dropped to his knees in pain and Rin screamed his name. He didn't let that stop him though. He was determined. _'That's what they all think. My whole Clan believes that I have made the same mistake that my father made. They all believe that I care for this mortal in that sort of manner.'_ He recalled how he saved her life time, and time, and time again, even just now. He wondered why he always rescued her, but he pushed the thought out of his head. Thinking like that didn't help his point._ 'I care for no mortal in that way. They are disgusting creatures and I wouldn't give my life for one, not now, not ever!' _He struggled once more, but now was able to hold his composure. "I shall not suffer the same disgraceful fate as my father." He took the Tenseiga off of his sash and gave it to Rin, so it would protect her from the demonic air. "I will not die today."

In a way, Rin thought Sesshoumaru to be hysterical. Sesshoumaru had just talked so much, revealing some emotions as well to her. It didn't seem that he was even directly speaking to her, but everyone who had ever questioned "like father, like son?" out of him. Rin looked at the Tenseiga in her hands. She knew that it could protect him as well, but he had decided to protect her. _'Lord Sesshoumaru, why do you keep making sacrifices for me?' _

Sesshoumaru grabbed Tokijin. "I will not die!" With a slash, a blue wave of powerful energy split the cave and in a flash, there was an opening. "Stay here," he commanded. Rin nodded and this time promised that she would stay there. He then left to continue the fighting.

Rin just held the Tenseiga closer to her. _'Lord Sesshoumaru, I pray that you'll be alright.' _She bit her lip in worry_. 'It's been all my fault. If I would have just told him about Lord Hikakustu then…' _She didn't mean to refer to him as _Lord_ Hikakustu. She just meant to say Hikakustu. _'I've got to tell him. I can't just go on like this. I've got to say something.'_ "Lord Sesshoumaru," she said aloud, "I am faithful to you!" She said it to herself quietly for hours, trying to wipe all of what Hikakustu had told her out of her head and was determined that she would tell him the truth. When she finally realized how long it had been, she began to get worried. "Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Rin began to hear footsteps, but didn't see anything from the opening. "Who's there?" she asked worriedly. Sesshoumaru wouldn't be sneaking around. _'Perhaps it's a demon!'_ She clutched on to the Tenseiga even tighter. _'Lord Sesshoumaru!'_ "Ahhhh!" Rin screamed for her dear life once she felt someone grab her hair and lift her up through the ground. When she got back on her feet, she began to lightly cry because it hurt so much. It wasn't Sesshoumaru, it was Ziah. "Ziah, w-what did you do that for?"

"A stuttering problem? How cute?" She grabbed Rin's neck and lifted her up off of the ground. "Let me ask you a question half breed, if that's really what you are."

Rin wouldn't let go of the Tenseiga in fear of losing her air, even though Ziah had already started chocking her.

"Oh, does the little baby want me to let her go?" She dropped her and Rin gasped for air. "Why do you have the Tenseiga? Did Lord Sesshoumaru give it to you?" Rin nodded hesitatingly, which only made Ziah more upset. "Tell me, how is it that you transformed into a human when nothing significant about the day occurred? How is that possible?" Rin shrugged her shoulders and then felt the forceful touch of Ziah's hand across her face. "Don't lie to me!"

Rin held then Tenseiga with one hand and then wiped the blood from her mouth with the other. "Stop it!"

"Or what? You'll bleed on me some more? I want to know why?" She held one of her hands close to Rin's face and smirked. "You know, I could burn your face off very slowly until you tell me!" Her hand began smoking a green color. "Should I do that?" She quickly grabbed the Tenseiga with her free hand and took it away from Rin. "So what now? You can't breathe." She tossed the Tenseiga a few feet away. "What's the matter?" Rin began gagging. "Oh yeah, you can't exactly talk if you can't breathe. I guess that causes a problem. Hmm. Too bad! I guess I'll just have to settle for you dying. I was going to slowly burn your flesh off or cut you into tiny pieces with my light whip, but I suppose watching you slowly die is better."

Rin began to feel light headed. The poisonous gas was starting to really get to her. _'Lord Sesshoumaru.' _"Why?" she managed to say.

"Why? I saw you and him. I saw how he protected you. He's hurt Rin, he could possibly be dying! Do you realize how much blood he lost, saving your pathetic mortal life? Do you realize what…do you know what he is to me?"

"Sesshoumaru…will kill you for this!"

"He'd never kill me, especially not for some mortal girl!"

"Yes he would. The enemy…" Rin began coughing harshly. "The enemy that we are fighting now…he kidnapped me. Sesshoumaru's whole mission since then has been to kill him and he's been searching for Naraku…nonstop." Her nose began to bleed. "Naraku is the one who did this to me! He made me a demon!" Just when Rin was about to lose everything, she felt the strength of the Tenseiga. "Why?" she asked Ziah.

"You said he turned you into a demon. You've managed to spark my curiosity. Explain."

Rin took the Tenseiga out of Ziah's hands and held it close. She heavily breathed as she felt the poisons leaving and the pureness of the Tenseiga go throughout her body. "I do not know how, but he changed me. A few months ago, I was a mortal girl. Now I am a half breed woman."

"That's impossible." Ziah smelt the scent of Ah-Un and backed away from Rin before he attacked her. He looked angry.

"What have you done?" Jaken asked, getting off of him. "Lord Sesshoumaru will punish you for harming this girl! Don't you know that she is his ward?"

"That's if he lives," Ziah said with regret. "This girl also caused him great pain."

"You're a fool!" Rin yelled.

Ziah was so angry; she was ready to destroy her quickly with her light whip in a matter of seconds. "What?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru wouldn't allow himself to die! He's too strong to die now! He wouldn't leave me! He'd never leave me! He promised he'd be back. I always wait and he always comes. He doesn't break promises, so he won't die. You don't deserve him, if you actually believe that he could be killed so easily!"

Ziah picked Rin up by her kimono. "Oh, and you believe that you deserve him more than me?"

"Yes!"

Ziah's hand began smoking once more, but she stopped once she began sniffing the air. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" she dropped Rin and turned around just in time to see a ball of light transform into Sesshoumaru. "Lord Sesshoumaru, you're better."

Sesshoumaru didn't address Ziah. He saw the blood under Rin's nose. _'The air…she needs to leave here.'_ "Stand Rin."

Rin stood up excitedly. "Lord Sesshoumaru, you're all better."

That wasn't entirely true on his part. He should still be resting. "Lord Sesshoumaru," Ziah asked, "are you sure you can travel?"

"I'm fine," he lied. He was still injured and needed rest, but Rin needed to leave. This was no place for her and the journey back was more dangerous than actually staying. "Let's leave."

"So soon?" Ziah asked. Sesshoumaru didn't answer her. She glanced at Rin sadly. _'He doesn't love her, does he?'_ "Lord Sesshoumaru, once you defeat Naraku, then will you return?"

Sesshoumaru wondered how she knew of Naraku, but the answer was obvious. She must have hurt Rin in order to get the answers to questions that she had. He was upset with Ziah, but he wasn't going to hurt her. If she had killed Rin, then he would have had no choice. Ziah knew better, but for the current situation, he wasn't going to punish Ziah. They had a childhood that no one knew but them. She was one of his own. He was the leader of his Clan and was still loyal to them. "Continue on," were his last words to her.

They were so simple, but she knew what he meant. She had done a good job watching over the people of the Western Lands in his absence and she nodded, signaling that she would. _'But this mortal, why does he protect her?__ Does he truly love her? Is he really going to make the same mistake his father made?'_

* * *

After a long while, Rin was finally able to stretch as she got off her feet on to the ground. She stretched a good while after being on Ah-Un with Jaken for such a long time. "Lord Sesshoumaru-"

"Rin," he said trying to stay calm, "don't ever disobey my orders again."

Rin nodded. She felt so horrible. She had no right to disobey him and she knew it was hard for him having her in his home while she was just a worthless half breed. She was a disgrace after all. "I am sorry, my Lord."

Jaken scowled at Rin only to be beaten by Sesshoumaru. He too disobeyed orders and he was also punished, but only physically. Sesshoumaru would never hurt Rin. He couldn't bring himself to do it.

"How long," he asked her, "have you been like this?"

"You mean the demon coming in my sleep?" She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess that was the first time. I don't even remember what happened."

"And what else has happened?"

"I'll tell you my Lord," Jaken stated, "Rin has begun seeking after the Shikon Jewel shards! She even confronted the wolf demon Kouga!"

Sesshoumaru just glared at her. "It…it didn't end well." She was embarrassed, but mostly disappointed with herself that she just couldn't bring herself to tell him about Hikakustu in her sleep. "Lord Sesshoumaru, Naraku has jewel shards. If we search for them, we can find them."

"And how do you propose we do that?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"Well, I don't know" she admitted. "But we can try! If it just so happens that we run into Naraku first, then so be it. I don't honestly care…it's just that I want to be normal, some kind of normal, and I know that the Shikon Jewel can restore me and I won't have to live like this anymore."

Sesshoumaru didn't exactly want a new goal while he was searching for Naraku, but Rin attacking him in her sleep wasn't something he planned on bearing for the rest of his life. "Fine then, search for them if you want. The jewel shards don't concern me."

Rin smiled brightly. "Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru! I know that Kouga has some and so does Inuyasha, and Naraku certainly has many." She was so excited. "Oh I cannot wait, Lord Sesshoumaru!" She realized the look of concentration he was giving her. "Um…did I do something wrong, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

_'That demon inside her, it's causing me more trouble than I would have hoped for. There's only one thing that I can do now. If Inuyasha's demon blood can be held captive, then so can hers.'_ He began to slowly get an idea for what he could do in order to keep her demonic blood at bay. _'Bokusenou, the demon tree donated some of his branches in order to make the scabbard for the Tetsusaiga. It had magical properties that have the power to keep Inuyasha's demon blood from taking over his mind, so it should do the same for her.' _"Rin, Jaken, stay here."

Jaken was about to protest and question, but Rin quickly covered his mouth and said, "Yes, my Lord. We swear that we will not move from this very spot! You have our word!" Sesshoumaru took off into the sky, so Rin figured that whatever he was doing would take a while. "There he goes, off again." She let Jaken go. "You know, you shouldn't protest after all the trouble we just got into, Master Jaken." Sesshoumaru had abandoned them close a human village. "Master Jaken, I'll be back in a short while. I swear I will."

"And where are you going?"

"To seek food."

"You mean steal," Jaken muttered.

Rin heard what he had said and pretended that she had no idea what he was talking about. "I'll be back in a short while." As she began walking off, she felt her hair and realized that it looked a mess. _'Having such long hair is bothersome, perhaps I'll cut it.' _She looked at her kimono. It was a little tattered. _'Um…I guess I'll get a new kimono as well.'_ She began humming happily as she walked to the village. "Yes, everything will be quite all right!"

To be continued...


	17. Chapter 17: Makeover

Chapter 17

I don't own Inuyasha

Jaken sighed heavily as he sat alone with Ah-Un. He missed the days of just him and his lord traveling along the countryside. Everything now became so complicated with Rin, ever since he first saved her from certain death. His lord pays so much attention to Rin's needs that it slowly began to scare Jaken. He thought nothing of it at first, but now things were different. Like when Naraku first kidnapped Rin, Sesshoumaru's quest for vengeance was born. Rin had asked if it was all for her, but Jaken quickly corrected her and told her that Naraku had insulted Sesshoumaru's honor by doing such a thing. Sure, that was true, but time and time after again, Sesshoumaru had done so much for Rin that it didn't seem to make sense anymore. Every time she was kidnapped, he was there to save her. Every time there was a demon there trying to kill her, he would quickly come and kill it. He was always there for her sake to rescue her from death. Even saving her from death with the Tenseiga was odd. It was out of character. He said he would perform a test, but it didn't seem right to Jaken, as if it was an excuse. He had never showed any regard to human life beforehand and now he gave something priceless, something irreplaceable to someone: the gift of life.

Now with Rin being a half demon, she had caused more trouble than she ever could have as just a mere mortal. Her sight was not only supposed to be disgusting to Lord Sesshoumaru, but disgraceful as well, yet he was still protecting her and constantly letting her stay by his side. Now he was off again, probably doing something for her sake. His whole attitude was supposedly changing. He had even saved Inuyasha's friends on some occasions, whether or not he meant to or not is questionable, but he saved them. He had even stopped chasing after the Tetsusaiga. Something was wrong. His lord wasn't how he remembered from years ago. He had changed and Jaken believed he had changed for the worst.

Now with Rin's size and instant change of age, Jaken's thinking had to change. She could actually…did he dare to think it? She could actually prove to be…useful! She was bothersome, but if she could control her power, she could assist Lord Sesshoumaru and Jaken's place would fade into nothing. _'Don't think of such things, Jaken. It is not as if Lord Sesshoumaru has given anything to her of importance, such as The Staff of Two Heads. Your thoughts are foolish.'_ Or were they? He did seem to stare at her an awful lot. Jaken always assumed that his Lord was always analyzing her. Rin was an interesting case, but he did stare at her a lot. He would look back at her from time to time when they traveled and when Rin tried to rest, Sesshoumaru would always watch her until he himself feel asleep. "Stop thinking such things!" Jaken commanded himself. "Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't think that way! She was just a child not too long ago!" She was a child not too long ago, but Rin had now spent almost just as much time with Sesshoumaru as an adult as a child. "He would never! I'm being silly." He told himself. "Lord Sesshoumaru would never let himself fall into a trap of a woman. He saw how his father was destroyed by a woman, and even his brother Inuyasha. He would not allow himself to be overtaken by affection for a mortal, nor would he have any affection for one at all!" He shook his head. "Lord Sesshoumaru would never!"

"Never what?" asked Rin walking up to Jaken from behind.

Jaken became shaken up by Rin sneaking up on him, but he gained his composure. "Nothing!" he yelled. When he faced her, he was completely surprised by her appearance. It didn't even seem like she was gone for that long, and yet she had managed to change herself. "Rin, you've changed your appearance!"

"Oh please, Jaken," Rin said. "I've been gone for hours." She pointed towards the west. "See the sunset. You've been talking to yourself for a long time." She chuckled and then spun around for Jaken so he could see her new look. "Look at me! I cut my hair and do you like the new kimono?" She kept spinning again and again. She loved it so much. It fit her completely. It was a form fitting kimono, unlike the loose ones she had been getting. Her full womanly form could be seen clearly. She even had a high spilt on both sides of it. She loved it! "Isn't it wonderful Master Jaken? Don't you love the colors?" It was a dark red kimono decorated with golden dragons and she had a golden sash that went around her waste. Her kimono was sleeveless but she was wearing a black shirt underneath that was long sleeved and was very loose and on the ends of the sleeve, there was gold at the tips. "And my hair!" She ran her fingers through her hair. It still possessed its natural flip out feature but now it barely went past her shoulders. She did now have bangs in the front of her hair, two different ones, one on the right side and one on the left. She did look better than before, much more attractive, but not in the sight of Jaken!

"Why the change?"

"I don't know." She honestly didn't know for sure why she wanted a change. She had forgotten that Hikakustu had mentioned cutting her hair and the red kimono, but she did love her new look. Hikakustu was right, she did look better with the shorter hair. It fit her face better. "Do you think Lord Sesshoumaru will like it?"

"As if Lord Sesshoumaru would pay attention to a silly little girl."

"Lord Sesshoumaru thinks of me as a woman," she said proudly. "He called me one, and you're the only one who still thinks of me as a child, so if anyone's perspective should change, it's yours." She walked over to Ah-Un and petted him. "Would you like a bath, Ah-Un? I saw a river a little past the village."

"Lord Sesshoumaru said to stay!" Jaken fussed.

"Don't worry Master Jaken; if I'm with Ah-Un, then everything will be alright. I'm just cleaning him. Besides, I doubt Lord Sesshoumaru will be back soon. He's far off somewhere if he had to fly. He has errands to run." She waved goodbye to Jaken. "It won't take long, Master Jaken."

_'Lord Sesshoumaru, I wonder what errands you had to run.'_

* * *

Toutousai could feel cold chills run down his back and he just knew that something bad was up. He could almost tell what sort of bad it was. He knew who was coming and was about to fly away on his cow, but he was already there. He gulped and walked out of his home to see none other than Sesshoumaru. "Ah! Sesshoumaru! What are you doing here?"

Sesshoumaru had a tree branch and large fang laying out before Toutousai. "I want you to construct a sword out of this fang." He said commandingly and yet calmly. He was not asking Toutousai, but was rather just telling him to do so. He had refused before, but Sesshoumaru was not going to take no for an answer.

"But…" Toutousai tried not to show his fear "well, I already told you that I would not construct a sword for you. You already have a perfectly good sword that was left by your father. Not only that," he said with a hint of disgust "You had the Tokijin created by my former student! You don't need another sword."

Sesshoumaru stepped closer to Toutousai and was beginning to get angry. "You will make the sword."

Toutousai began to slightly panic. He might just have to seek protection like he did before. "Isn't two swords enough?" He looked at the fang. It was much too small to be Inutaisho's fang. "Sesshoumaru…"

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you, Toutousai. The sword, or your life."

Toutousai noticed Sesshoumaru's missing tooth. It was a large fang. It wasn't as large as his father's fang, but it was large and powerful enough to make a good sword. The next thing Toutousai was going to say was something he didn't want to. He didn't know how it would play over for Sesshoumaru. He didn't want to anger him. "Uh…well…it won't be as powerful as the Tetsusaiga. Your father was a full grown demon when I constructed the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga. He was at his prime. You've still got a few more years of growing, Sesshoumaru." He waited for Sesshoumaru's fury to come upon him, but it didn't.

"I don't need it to rival the Tetsusaiga. I just need it made."

Toutousai noticed the bark. _'That's bark from Bokusenou, why would he seek that? Why bother getting it, besides to make sure that I use it? The only thing special about it is the magical properties that could control the demonic blood, such as Inuyasha's.' _He looked at Sesshoumaru with consideration. _'The sword isn't for him, but it wouldn't be for Inuyasha.'_ "This sword, it isn't really for you, is it Sesshoumaru?"

He didn't answer. "Just make it, and it had better be completed within three days."

"Three days?"

"It can be done and you had better have it so." Sesshoumaru turned around and began walking away, saying nothing more. He only expected for him to follow the orders that he gave. Toutousai did have every intention of making the sword though, especially since it wasn't for Sesshoumaru.

_'I wonder who the sword is for.'_

* * *

Rin was finishing scrubbing Ah-Un and was pleased with her handy work. "Well Ah-Un, you look good as new." Rin moved some of Ah-Un's fur and a sleeping Myouga was found once she looked close enough. "Myouga the flea demon!" Rin said excitedly. "How long have you been sleeping on Ah-Un?"

Myouga woke up yawned. "Oh Rin, it's you, and you're in your human form again. That's nice."

"I didn't know you were on Ah-Un."

"After Lord Sesshoumaru's anger due to Master Inuyasha's presence, I had decided to keep myself quiet, so he would believe that I left with Master Inuyasha. I would have, but I've been out of the Western Lands for so long that I needed to stay for a while and watch the battle."

"How did it go? I kept hidden the whole time."

"Oh, the dog demon Clan is invincible! They were brilliant. Lord Inutashio would be proud of his people and his son. I noticed Lord Sesshoumaru's injury, but he still fought so well. He is good enough to lead his people; I wish he'd realize that already. The dragon demons didn't stand a chance. They have very powerful blasts, but the dog demons are so fast that most of them were never hit. There were few casualties. The only reason to get hit was carelessness."

"Oh…" Rin said sadly. "I suppose it's all my fault. Lord Sesshoumaru was protecting me when he got hit by a demon's blast."

"Well, he recovered and all is well."

"Yes, I suppose so." Ah-Un looked up in the sky for some reason and Rin could feel a rapid and cold wind suddenly appear. "Uh oh, I think I know whose coming!" She held on to Ah-Un tightly as Kagura jumped off of her flying feather. When she jumped off, her feather transformed to its real size and gracefully landed into her hand. "Kagura," Rin said with a scowl. "And what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

"Nice sarcasm for a child." Kagura smirked.

"Do I look like a child?"

"Hmph." _'Naraku was right,'_ thought Kagura._ 'She doesn't have the mind of a child, even though she should. Her emotions and form should be that of an adult, but her knowledge should be that of a child.'_ "You've certainly become more of a pest, girl. Naraku really wanted you dead."

"Wanted?" Rin questioned. "What's with the past tense? Did I redeem myself?"

Kagura gently laughed. "It just would seem that Naraku thinks he can find some use for you."

"I'll be glad to disappoint him," Rin nearly blurted out. "Anyway, did you come to talk of his hatred for me, or were you going to kidnap me again?"

"Don't worry; I don't think Naraku would try the same thing for a third time. Besides, Naraku likes to do something creative."

"Why are you here, Kagura?"

"I wanted to give you some information, about the Shikon Jewel Shards."

"Like what? Why should I even trust you?"

"The boy Kohaku, you know him. You've met him on various occasions." She smiled. "The boy has a jewel shard in his back. I know you're collecting them and I knew you would appreciate the information."

"There's a jewel shard in his back?" she asked surprised. "Why are you telling me this?"

Kagura took the feather out of her hair and threw it up into the air. "I despise Naraku just as much as the next person. If you decide to collect the jewel shards and slay him, then go ahead. Then I'll be free." She jumped on to her feather and flew away on it, knowing that Naraku's next plan would be complete. _'She'll surely go after Kohaku's jewel shard now and if she does, then she'll kill Kohaku just like Naraku wants. Why he'd want his perfect puppet destroyed, I don't know, but she'll do it.'_

"I don't know if I should trust her." Rin said to herself. "Come on Ah-Un. Lord Sesshoumaru could be back at any moment."

* * *

"Where is that silly girl?" Jaken asked himself. "Lord Sesshoumaru will surely smite her one of these days."

"Smite me why?" Rin snuck up behind Jaken and frightened him again. "Oh, Master Jaken, you're such a baby. I told you I'd be back."

"I saw Kagura's feather. What was she doing? I feared she would try to kidnap you again."

"Surprisingly, she gave me information on the jewel shards and the location of one. I can easily get it, once I revert back to my demonic form."

"Oh, and who has them?"

"Kohaku, he shouldn't be a problem at all." Rin sat down on the grass and yawned. "The journey from the Western Lands was a tiresome one. I should have slept more before visiting that village. Now I must sleep." She laid down made herself as comfortable as possible. It was a chilly night, but she tried to get some rest anyway. It wasn't soon until she fell asleep.

_"Rin."__ Rin opened her eyes and saw Hikakustu sitting Indian Style in front of her. She slowly sat up and just sat and watched him back. "Amazing, you aren't going to run from me today, ask me any questions, or even attempt to run?"_

_"We both know I'm sleeping," Rin told him. "There's no harm in that."_

_"Isn't that when you go crazy?" he asked with a smirk._

_"I'm not in my demon form. I can't really do much as a human. There's not much trouble I can cause." She shrugged her shoulders. "You can try to scare me if you want, but I know for sure that I and my lord will never be torn apart. He keeps making sacrifices for me over and over again. You can't tear me apart from him. Oh and you can sure try, but it won't ever work."_

_"Oh really?" he asked intrigued. "And these sacrifices, why do you think he makes them?"_

_"Why?" she asked back. "Um…well I don't know. I wonder it myself sometimes."_

_"Does he care for you? Does he hold affection towards you?" Hikakustu was a bit disgusted. "Does this dog demon love you?"_

_"No! Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't. If I asked him that, I swear he'd kill me just to prove me wrong!"_

_"Sounds like denial to me." Hikakustu was upset about the information that he had just learned, but he was able to find a way to work it out for the better. "Interesting…that could be used to our advantage."_

_"What do you mean our advantage?" She asked angrily._

_"Our advantage. Did you think I had given up on you? Didn't it occur to you that I had something to do with you attacking the dog demons? You were supposed to kill Sesshoumaru, but I suppose the honor is going to have to belong to me."_

_"How dare you use me like that! I won't be a puppet anymore! You use someone else! I'm not interested! And do you honestly think you'd be able to stop Lord Sesshoumaru? Do you think you're honestly stronger than him?"_

_"I know I am," he said. "I was a challenge to his father while he was in his prime. He had the use of three different swords and he changed into his dog form, and it still wasn't really enough to finish the job."_

_"That's funny, because you seem pretty finished to me. I'm not helping you."_

_"Oh, but you will girl, you will. You'll release me, whether you like it or not. Whether you want to or not. Whether you're aware of it, or not. You can't stop me, because you're not even trying. If you weren't going to help me, then your dog would know of me. Instead, here I am, still bothering you in your mind. Why won't you tell him?"_

_Rin wanted to reach out and smack him, but she was scared what she might actually do if she touched him. "I…I…"_

_"Yes Rin?"_

_"I…I don't want to tell him." She tried not to cry, but she was so ashamed of herself._

_"Good girl." He stood to his feet and reached out his hand towards her. "Come on." She gave him her hand and he helped her stand. He wrapped her arms around her waist tightly and began to whisper in her ear. "The time will come, Rin, when you and I can meet in the real world and not only in your dreams."_

_"I don't want to help you."_

_"But you will." He chuckled. "Looking at your hair, your clothes, it's not even taking as long as I expected. You're already mine for the taking. You've just got to accept it, Rin. Just accept it."_

_Rin pushed him away at the sudden realization. "No! I did this because I wanted to!"_

_"Because we wanted to!" He grabbed her arms. "You don't have to see it now, but soon, oh so soon, we will be together forever Rin and your dog will die!"_

_"Lord Sesshoumaru!"_

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" She opened her eyes and there he was right in front of her, watching, like he always did. _'He's back.'_ She thought with relief. Relief soon turned into paranoia._ 'What does he think about when he stares at me? He's probably wondering when I'll attack him next.'_ She frowned."I uh…I had a bad dream."

_'Does she expect me to save her in her dreams as well?'_ he thought. "What do you dream of, Rin?"

"What?" she asked him. _'He's asking me something personal?'_ She didn't mean to, but she smiled.

It was just like when he asked her where she got all those cuts on their first encounter. She smiled and he claimed he didn't care. "I don't care. You don't have to say anything."

"I don't mind telling…it's just that I think it's sweet that you're concerned for me." She tried to hide her blush.

"I'm not concerned," he said. "I was curious. The last time you fell asleep, you attacked Ziah and a hand full of other demons."

"Well I…" she didn't want to tell him about Hikakustu, but she couldn't lie to him. "I have nightmares. I dream of death. It's no more different than what I was a child. I would sometimes dream of my parents and brothers being slaughtered. It scared me then and it scares me now. Now I'm just scared that I'll become like the bandits that attacked my family. I still dream of death, but there are no bandits in my dreams."

"I see." That was enough information for him. She wasn't going to say anything and he wasn't going to ask. She already asked the absurd question of whether or not he was concerned for her well being. He didn't want her to think anything else like that. He should have continued asking until he got the full truth, but he dropped it. He didn't want her to get the wrong impression. "And why did you change your appearance?"

"I...I just wanted to. I thought it might look nicer and my kimono wasn't looking too well." She blushed with embarrassment. "I swear I will take better care of it next time, my Lord." Rin started shivering. It was still late in the night and it hadn't been that cold all year. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I am cold. Do you think I could…?"

Sesshoumaru didn't like where she was going with this.

"Well, that boa you keep around you arm, it looks comfortable and you would keep me warm, so could I…lean on you?"

He turned his face away. If he thought nothing of it, then she wouldn't either. "Do as you wish." Rin tried not to be over excited. It would make Sesshoumaru feel uncomfortable. When she leaned on him, she felt so warm and comfortable. She didn't want to ever leave that spot. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes as well. He was tired and unknown to Rin or even Jaken, his wound was still bothering him. He needed the rest.

Jaken hadn't fallen asleep, he had only pretended. When he opened his eyes and saw Sesshoumaru and Rin so close together, his worry began to increase._ 'No my Lord!'_

To Be Continued…


	18. Chapter 18: Koibara

Chapter 18

I don't own Inuyasha

Rin opened her eyes and when she had awakened, Sesshoumaru was nowhere in sight. There was only a snoring Jaken. Rin frowned. _'Well, where is Lord Sesshoumaru?'_ she asked herself. "Why did he leave?"

Jaken began to wake up and saw Rin's troubled face and saw that Sesshoumaru had left as well. _'What did she do?'_ "Where has Lord Sesshoumaru gone to?" he asked her angrily. "You tell me right now, or I'll-"

"Why would I know, Master Jaken?" she yawned. "I haven't even been awake for more than a minute. Don't assume anything!" She stood to her feet and stretched herself out. _'Man, that__ was the nicest sleep I had in a while. I'm glad Hikakustu didn't come back to haunt me. I really do wish he'd leave me alone._' She lightly blushed. _'Sleeping along side of Lord Sesshoumaru must have helped too.' _"Master Jaken, why don't we seek food?"

"You seek food!" he said angrily. "I do not wish to assist you! You are the reason why Lord Sesshoumaru left us!"

"Left us?" She laughed a little. "He hasn't abandoned us, Master Jaken. He's probably just going on another errand. What's it matter Master Jaken? Why would you blame me?"

Jaken didn't answer her. He thought that she should have enough sense to figure it out. _'Treacherous mortal!__ It's your entire fault. My ruthless master who once would be ashamed to be in the very presence of mortals now lets one lean on him for comfort because she's cold! He's changed, what if she...what if she hurts him? What if she gets him killed like his father before him? She already got him wounded when his Clan fought with the dragon demons. If he had to fight for longer than what he did, then he surely might have perished, all because of her! She's dangerous, but Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't even realize it! What should I do...?'_ "He wouldn't have left without telling me so."

Rin rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding me Master Jaken? You're so paranoid. He probably just wanted some alone time or something like that. A lot has happened lately. He'll return pretty soon, all we have to do is..." Rin trailed off, feeling dizzy as her blood was rushing all throughout her body. _'I'm changing back...' _She held her head, feeling like she was going insane. "Run Master Jaken!" she yelled.

"What is coming over you?"

"I'm changing back, but it's different than before!" She began screaming. "Run away Master Jaken!"

Jaken watched her for a while as she screamed in pain as she slowly lost control of everything and as her human appearance began to shift; Jaken decided that it would be best if he found his Lord. After all, Rin was insane when she transformed and most of the time, she couldn't help it.

_'Rin'_

She turned around to look for who was calling, but no one was there. "Leave me alone! You're not real!"

_'It's time to wake up, dear. It's time.'_

"Ahhhhhh!" She dropped to her knees and the transformation was complete. She was once again, a half breed demon, but now, she was different. _'What should I do?'_ she asked herself. _'That human village near by, I think I'll destroy it.'_ She smirked. _'This should be fun.'_

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" yelled Jaken over and over. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" he yelled again. "I need your help, Lord Sesshoumaru!" _'Where could he have run off to?'_

* * *

A little girl was playing outside with her family. They were passing around a ball, just enjoying each other's company. "Look!" The girl stopped playing and pointed out towards Rin, who was coming straight towards them. "Who's that pretty woman?"

Her family began to panic. "It's a demon!"

* * *

"Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru couldn't see Jaken, but he could very easily pick up the yells from his annoying servant. _'What is that fool yelling about now?' _Sesshoumaru was beginning to get really annoyed with all of his company. Rin was more bothersome than he ever thought possible. He knew mortals were trouble, but she was just ridiculous and Jaken had always been annoying, but as of lately, he had been more tiresome than usual. Sesshoumaru was just simply standing above a cliff, overseeing the lands, lands that he would someday rule. He would rule all.

Jaken finally caught up with him and Sesshoumaru noticed that some of the green had drained out of his face. Jaken was scared of something and it was obvious what it was to Sesshoumaru, but of course Jaken stated the obvious. "Rin has begun another transformation to the half demon state, but she is not as before! She was in a great deal of pain and she was completely losing control of herself."

_'It's happened once again.'_ Rin was always unable to really keep control over herself, but every time she transformed from a human into a half demon, her demon blood would be in control and she would go insane. It would only be a matter of time before her human heart was consumed by the demon. Sesshoumaru knew all of this from experience. His brother's scent of blood would sometimes be that of a full demon and he would lose control. Now the same thing was happening to Rin, but it was all a matter of time before she was completely lost. There's no way she could be able to tame herself. She would be lost forever.

Sesshoumaru wasted no more time wondering about the situation and hurried to Rin. He could smell the scent of human blood thick in the air. There only could be one person killing so many. It had to be Rin. When he got to the human village, the sight was horrifying. It looked like something he would do, or had done before. Rin wasn't obviously in control. _'So who is in control? What is this demon that took control of her? She was turned into an Eouro, but how?'_ Rin was holding a small child upside down by her foot and the little girl was crying and begging for her life. The little girl was the only human alive in the village. Rin's hands were stained with blood, but there was only a little on her kimono, proving that she wasn't simply just mindlessly killing. She had committed a massacre, but it wasn't done sloppily. The demon was self-aware.

"Please help me!" yelled the little girl. She almost resembled Rin. She seemed so meek and scared, just like when Sesshoumaru first laid eyes on Rin. But all mortals to Sesshoumaru were meek and scared. That's why they weren't worthy enough to live. "Please help me!" The girl didn't seem to realize that Sesshoumaru was a demon, or maybe she noticed and just didn't care. She just wanted to be rescued. "Please!"

Rin was enjoying it all. The tears pouring down the little girl's face made her laugh sadistically. "Poor little girl…" she laughed again.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru called.

She surprisingly didn't answer. She didn't even seem to know who Rin was at all. The name didn't faze her for a second. She had yet to gaze upon Sesshoumaru. To Rin, the only ones there was herself and the little victim in her clutches. "You die now."

"Koibara," he said. That time, it slightly caught her attention. She held the little girl up higher to that she could stare right into her face. "This child, do you wish to save her, like you saved that Rin child?"

"Rin child?" he asked aloud. "You disregard your very name, half breed? How very strange."

"I have no name. I am simply an Eouro demon. Rin and Koibara are familiar, and yet I cannot remember who I am." She smirked. "Rin however, is a mortal child. Am I right?" Her smirk was sinister and evil. She was going to do something, something to Sesshoumaru. "This mortal girl I hold, does she remind you of Rin?" He didn't answer, although she did. "You wish to save this girl's life. Since when is the mighty Lord Sesshoumaru a savior of humans?"

That comment sparked his anger. "I could care less what you do with the girl. She is after all an insignificant mortal. Whether she lives or dies is of no consequence to me."

"No consequence?" She cocked an eyebrow at Sesshoumaru. His facial expression hadn't changed from when he first saw that she had slaughtered an entire village. He didn't care if she killed a mortal girl. "Since you don't care…" Rin took one finger and began to slowly pierce the skin of the young girl on her right cheek with her nail. The young girl was of course screaming, frightened for her safety. "She certainly is like Rin. You see, she witnessed the death of her family, just like Rin. I made her watch as I killed them slowly."

"Please help me!" the girl screamed again.

"They truly are disgusting," Rin pointed out. "Aren't they? They're so pathetic."

"And you presume that you are not, half breed? You have in you the blood of a demon and that of a human. If any creature is truly pathetic, it is you. The thought of demon blood mixing with a feeble human is enough to revolt any demon."

"I am wrong, aren't I?" she asked. "Rin is not a child. She is a woman. She is a full grown woman." Rin used her free hand to feel her body. She felt her face, her hair, her neck, breasts, and stomach. "This body, this body belongs to a mortal. It belongs to Rin, this full grown body." She looked so confused. "Why am I in this body?"

"Who are you?" Sesshoumaru questioned impatiently. "You know that you do not belong in that body, so you must surely know who you are."

"Who I am?" She began to chuckle loudly and she didn't truly know why. How was she to know who she was? As far as she was concerned, it didn't matter. "I am an end to all, including you, Lord Sesshoumaru." Her expression became completely serious and a scowl appeared on her face. "You see Sesshoumaru; I cannot allow you to live, not while you protect mortals, not while you keep them by your side. Not while you hold affection for them. Not while-"

She was cut off when Sesshoumaru created a light whip and flung it toward her. It didn't cut any body parts off, but Rin was wounded and bleeding in her arm, the arm she had used to hold the small girl. She had dropped the girl and was now much too angry to even realize that she was going to kill her. "Do not insult me," said Sesshoumaru. "The day I live to protect humans is a day that will never come. I despise them."

"And what of her?" Rin smiled again, referring Rin to Sesshoumaru. "What of her, this Rin woman? I want her dead, you want her alive. That poses a problem for me, so I must kill you. Surely you must understand my dilemma."

"Of course I understand. Since you are utterly lacking the power to defeat me, I could see where killing me would be quite the dilemma for a weakling like you."

"Don't even think that you could harm this body!"

"Be not a fool and do not offend me with your tongue any longer. I care nothing of you and your mortal appearance. I will destroy all who appose me, including someone as appalling as you."

"Then please try as you like, for you are the only one lacking in power, Sesshoumaru." A red aura began to surround Rin, just like every other time she would fight. Sesshoumaru noticed that Rin had forgotten about the mortal girl, who had started to run away. Rin wasn't going to notice. She was gong to kill Sesshoumaru, if it was the last thing she'd do. "Die!" Rin stretched her hand out towards Sesshoumaru and an energy blast went right towards him, but he of course was too fast for her to handle.

She tried over and over again in an attempt to destroy him, but he was much too powerful for her. "Come now, you can do better than that, half breed." Sesshoumaru began hitting her with his light whip and she protected herself as best she could. With each strike, she began to get angrier until she jumped up into the air and blasted Sesshoumaru again. This time, Sesshoumaru made no attempt to move and grabbed a hold of Tokijin. "Do not attempt to think for even a moment that you could defeat me." He sliced right through her beam and she only grew even angrier each time he would deflect it.

"I'll kill you!" Rin just began blasting him over and over again and he continued to dodge each attack. He never would strike her hard enough to kill her though. It was mostly dodging that he was doing. His objective wasn't to actually kill her. Rin however was blinded by rage, and wasn't going to stop until one of them was dead. "Stop running and fight!" she commanded.

Before she could even blink, Sesshoumaru ran directly to her and picked her up with his only hand. "Rin, do not be a fool. You lack the power to destroy me, as well as the sense to do so. You had best back down, half breed."

_'He won't kill me, not as long as I am in this body.'_ "Go ahead and try me." Sesshoumaru could have ended it all with his poison claws, but he threw Rin quite a few feet away. Rin jumped back up to her feet and foolishly began to blast Sesshoumaru again and again, until there was nothing but smoke. Rin dropped to her knees and felt dizzy once again. Her own body began smoking, until her claws turned into short nails, her fangs became normal teeth, her demonic aura completely faded, and her eyes became a bright brown color.

The smoke cleared and Sesshoumaru was pleased with the results. _'I was correct. Once she runs out of energy, she transforms back into a human.' _"Rin."

The thick scent of blood made Rin begin to throw up. Sesshoumaru was repulsed at the sight of it. Rin couldn't help it though. Rin at first didn't even notice the blood on her hands. She looked all around the village and wondered what had happened. She couldn't remember what she had been doing for the last half hour or so. She remembered waking up and Sesshoumaru was gone. She remembered Jaken yelling at her and that was it. Nothing else came to mind. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" Rin finally saw the blood on her hands. "No!" She wiped her hands on her kimono and began to sob. "No, this cannot be true!" She was frantic. _'It's just like my dream. There is so much blood. I've killed so many.' _Rin stood up and didn't even acknowledge Sesshoumaru's presence anymore. She needed all of the blood off of her somehow, someway. She couldn't deal with it on her like that. She would go insane. _'I have to clean myself up!'_ She ran to the river that she had washed Ah-Un in and jumped in. She began to scrub her hands as much as she possibly could, even though the blood came off easily, she acted as if it would never come off. _'I killed people, I killed so many people.'_ She washed the blood off of her kimono, but she felt so dirty, as if she could never be clean again.

Sesshoumaru watched her from a distance and wondered about her. _'So the demon is Koibara. She was Hikakustu's lover. If Rin lost control again, she would surely try to resurrect him. She had better not transform until I possess the new sword. Otherwise, keeping the girl may prove to be too bothersome.'_

Rin grabbed on to a boulder in the water and cried as she held on. She wasn't about to let go. She was too tired, too scared, and too ashamed. She just sobbed there for hours and Sesshoumaru didn't bother her. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken eventually finally caught up with the two of them and was confused to why Rin was sobbing on a rock in the middle of a river. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what might I ask are you doing?" Sesshoumaru didn't answer Jaken. They were both obviously waiting for Rin to pull herself together. "Rin, what are you doing?" Jaken began yelling at her angrily. "Stop being so bothersome and pick yourself up!"

"Leave her be, Jaken." Jaken was surprised that Sesshoumaru ordered him to leave her alone. Rin was having a complete mental breakdown. The sight was pathetic and weak. Sesshoumaru should have been annoyed with her, not defending her. He simply just sat down on the grass in the shade under a tree and waited for her to pull herself together. After all, his quest for Naraku had to be put on hold until he got the sword from Toutousai, and it wouldn't be ready until the next day. They had time to spare.

_'Why does he stand up for the girl? She is just a vexing mortal girl! Why would he defend her?'_

Sesshoumaru couldn't understand her position, although it was quite astonishing to him. Something like killing was natural to Sesshoumaru. He did what he wanted when he wanted, in order to get even more than what he has. That was his nature. Killing something or someone didn't faze him. Rin sulking over the situation seemed strange to him, but after all, she was just a mortal woman, a very strange woman, but what wasn't strange about mortals? What wasn't strange about women?

_'I killed those people.'_ It wasn't too long until Rin had cried so much, that she couldn't cry anymore. She was unable. She was also frozen. She was so cold that she had begun to become a pale shade of blue. She was absolutely shivering and she really couldn't move. "L…l-lord Sss…ssss-Sessssshoumaru?" She couldn't say his name, she was shivering so much. She couldn't move. She was so weak.

Something like the thought of hypothermia didn't really faze Sesshoumaru. He couldn't be so weak to die from something like that, but with Rin's behavior, he hadn't thought of what staying in that river all day would do to her didn't really cross him mind. He stood up and walked over to the river. He had no desire to get wet, nor did he have a desire to let her die. He stepped into the river, undesirably getting wet. He carefully took Rin off of the boulder. She was so cold; her body was almost in a fix position. She was so cold; it was as if she was dead. Her body lacked so much of the warmth that she had before. The rosy color in her cheeks had regrettably faded away, and her eyes were so lonely and distant, and it wasn't just because she was freezing. She was so ashamed of what she had done. He grabbed her by the waist and pulled her up and until her head was resting on his shoulder and his hand was resting under her thigh.

"I'm so sorry," she muttered. Rin's arm was still bleeding.

"You are unable to harm me."

"I tried to, didn't I?" She somehow was able to cry. "I fought you, didn't I? Did you hurt me? Was this…you?"

He sat her down under the tree, although shade wasn't needed, since the darkness of night blanketed the sky. She was hurt in her eyes. She was ashamed that she tried to hurt Sesshoumaru, but she was also hurt that he was capable of actually hurting her. "You do not seem to understand the situation at hand. You provoked me."

_'What was that?'_ she asked herself. _'His eyes, they were different.' _Usually Sesshoumaru didn't have a lot of facial expressions. Usually he held a straight blank face. If his face changed, it probably meant that someone was going to die. He was so cold most of the time, that he never really smiled. Rin could probably remember two occasions, if that. There were a lot of times when he had a look of curiosity in his eyes. He was curious by nature. When someone wants to rule all, curiosity is a good trait to have. This time however was unlike anything she had ever seen before. She had never seen that look in his eyes before. And even though it was brief, she knew what it was; at least, she thought she knew. _'Is he ashamed that he hurt me?' _Ashamed? Sesshoumaru probably didn't know how it felt to be ashamed. He probably had never regretted doing anything in his whole entire life. Everything he had ever done was a step towards his true goal in life: ruling all. But Rin was learning quickly how it felt to be ashamed with all the horrible things she had been doing lately, and she felt that way now, so she seemed to recognize the look. _'But that's impossible. I provoked him. What would he have to be ashamed about?' _"I am sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru. I understand your position." Maybe she was imagining things, because he still had the same expression that he always had on his face.

"Jaken, tend to the wound."

"With what?" Jaken asked. "We carry no supplies. How are we to help the girl?"

Sesshoumaru was already bent down so he could be eye level with Rin, so Jaken's sleeve was in reaching distance. He tore it off, and Jaken's mouth dropped. "Now you have a bandage."

"B-b-but Lord Sesshoumaru!" Sesshoumaru stood up straight and stepped on top of Jaken. He didn't want to hear his voice.

Rin softly chuckled. Sesshoumaru was anxious to get the sword from Toutousai, but her laughter seemed to reassure him that he had the time to wait. She wasn't going to transform anytime too soon, at least not before the sword was completed. Rin was still shivering and couldn't keep her eyes open, no matter how hard she tried. It only seemed for a quick second that she dozed off, but when she awakened, she could feel the warmth of a fire in front of her and the warmth of another body. She immediately began to blush, feeling the boa around Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru?" she questioned. Not that she was complaining. She found comfort being in his arms, or at least leaning on it.

Jaken spoke instead of Sesshoumaru. "You were dying. You would have lost your life if it wasn't for the extra warmth. You owe your life to Lord Sesshoumaru!"

She deeply smiled, even after all that had happened. "Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru."

He wouldn't look at her. He felt a little disappointed that he had let her sleep on him the night before, and even if he had no choice, doing it again didn't make him feel any better. She was a mortal and her life shouldn't mean anything to him.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, Hikakustu won't ever wake up, will he?"

Sesshoumaru thought it a strange question. "He will never reawaken."

"He scares me," Rin told him. "I don't want to be like him, or any of the Eouros for that matter." She closed her eyes again.

"And what do you dream of, Rin?" He asked her that question before. He knew she didn't give him the full truth of the matter.

"Why must you ask?" Rin said sadly. "It already came true. I dream of being out of control and mindlessly killing. I know everything is Hikakustu's fault. I just want to make sure that he never wakes up."

"And does the name Koibara mean anything to you?"

Rin shook her head, but the way she did it made her snuggle on Sesshoumaru. She felt so comfortable on him. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I don't want anyone else to die." A tear slipped down her cheek. _'We've got to find the jewel shards, and I don't care what I have to do to get them.' _

To Be Continued…


	19. Chapter 19: Jaken's Woes

Chapter 19

I don't own Inuyasha

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin began to ask "where are we going?" Rin was tired and sick from what happened only yesterday. She slaughtered an entire village without being aware at all. She hated herself for what she did. She was absolutely horrid. She even attacked her Lord. She was completely out of control and without hope. _'We need to find a way...to stop me. I hate to see anyone die, and yet I killed.'_

"Why do you ask?" Jaken responded. "You are riding on Ah-Un. You shouldn't be tired."

"But Master Jaken..." she trailed off, feeling upset. It wasn't worth arguing about. She didn't have the energy.

The truth be told though, Jaken didn't know where they were headed either. _'Lord Sesshoumaru has been acting very strange. I do not know what he plans on doing, or what he has been doing.' _In his frustration, he decided to bother Rin once again. "Rin, you should silence yourself. Do not question Lord Sesshoumaru and his methods!"

Rin began to steam. She was so angry because of Jaken. She was already upset with herself and Jaken only added to her great amount of frustration. "Oh, Master Jaken, if I still had my demonic powers, I would make you wish you were never born!"

"Do you presume that I am afraid of you? You are but a child! You cannot fight."

"Shows what you know, Master Jaken!" Rin yelled back. She was beginning to get light headed, but continued arguing anyway. "I have battled against the wolf demon Kouga and he fled from battle!" She pointed that fact out proudly, but the yelling began to make her feel dizzy. After all, she did have a bit of a fever.

Sesshoumaru had been observing everything, even their little argument. Rin needed to be observed, since she was so unpredictable. That little bit about Kouga wasn't new information, but he had never paid much attention to it before. He stopped in his tracks, which made Jaken and Ah-Un stop all together and look at Sesshoumaru with question, but Rin grew a little uneasy once he began to look upon her. "And when was this?"

"Well…" Rin could feel herself shaking. "When you had disappeared for a very long time...Master Jaken and I went to find the Sacred Shikon Jewel Shards."

"And you survived?" Sesshoumaru asked. "You obviously were not in control of your actions, were you?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken interrupted, "Rin was doing horrible and was once very afraid of the wolf demon Kouga, but then she passed out. I thought for sure that she would perish, but then she woke up and the wolf demon fled."

Sesshoumaru stepped closer to Rin, realizing how nervous she actually was. "Rin, what changed?" He knew what had changed, so he decided to use a more obvious question. "Or better yet, what were you dreaming about when it happened?"

"I…" she could feel herself about to tell him everything, but before the words would come out, she couldn't, as if something was stopping her. _'Why can't I tell him the truth?' _Rin began to feel weak and tired. "I don't feel well," she muttered.

"Do not change the subject!" Jaken yelled.

"But I…" she lost her balance on top of Ah-Un and fell over, but into Sesshoumaru's arm. He sat her down gently and realized how heavy her eyes were becoming. Rin rested her head upon Sesshoumaru as she struggled to stay awake. "What has come over me? Why am I so tired?" It wasn't long until she had fallen asleep in his warmth.

_"Rin!"__Hikakustu grabbed Rin's arms and looked into her eyes. "What are you doing? You must not tell the dog about me and what I plan on doing! You'll ruin everything!"_

_"I am going to tell him, so leave me alone!"_

_His temper flared. "How is this possible? You shouldn't be able to tell him anything. You wouldn't disobey me..." His grip tightened. "Unless...you really do have feelings for this dog?" _

_She began to blush. "Me and Lord Sesshoumaru? You're mistaken! Now leave me alone!"_ Rin opened her heavy eyes to see her impatient Lord staring into her eyes angrily, waiting for her answer. "Lord Sesshoumaru," she began to cry, "are you going to slay me?"

"What?" Jaken asked.

Sesshoumaru didn't expect that question out of her and hesitated to answer her. "And for what purpose would you ask?"

"I had a nightmare once, and you wanted me to die. You were going to kill me." She wiped her tears away. "I was afraid, because I didn't mean to..."

"And for what purpose was I going to kill you?" Sesshoumaru despised humans, but was still not like most demons. He didn't mindlessly go around in villages and go on rampages. He usually killed who was in his way. Rin was bothersome, but she had to have a very good reason to why she would think Sesshoumaru would do such a thing.

She really didn't want to say the next part. She could feel the tiredness come over her body, but she fought through it. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I slaughtered a village full of humans," she began to shake in agony, realizing that part had come to pass, "and I slaughtered Master Jaken as well." Jaken backed away, as if he feared she would leap out at him and kill him right there. Rin began to cry harder as she thought about the rest of the dream. "And then you were dead, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"As if you could ever destroy me."

Rin shook her head. "It wasn't me. It was, Hikakustu. He..."

"Hikakustu?" Sesshoumaru asked. "He has been contacting you this whole time, hasn't he?"

Rin began to shake, scared for her life. She had betrayed Hikakustu and had been keeping such an important secret from Sesshoumaru. "I am very sorry Lord Sesshoumaru. I dream of him. He wishes to be revived, and I have told him that I will not, and yet he still speaks with me. That is why I am afraid to sleep. That is why I am afraid to dream..."

"You should have told Lord Sesshoumaru about Hikakustu, Rin! You've only made things much worse!" Jaken was going to continue scolding her, thinking that she would surely be in great trouble with Lord Sesshoumaru, but Sesshoumaru wasn't even giving Rin as much as a death glare. _'If I would have done what she has, I would already be dead. Why does he act so different for this girl's sake?'_

"I couldn't..."

"He has a power over her," Sesshoumaru told Jaken. Sesshoumaru questioned what he should exactly do with her. She was out of control now._ 'If she gets a hold of the sword, then Koibara should not be able to take control over Rin's body.' _Rin lifted herself up off of Sesshoumaru as soon as he motioned her with his eyes. "Jaken," Sesshoumaru said sternly, "the two of you are to stay here. If either of you move, then you shall die."

Rin and Jaken were frightened, but Jaken was for certain that Sesshoumaru was talking directly to Jaken when speaking of killing. "Yes...my Lord."

"Do not let her fall asleep, Jaken." Sesshoumaru expected the both of them not to move and transformed into a ball of light and soon flew off into the sky, leaving the two of them wondering where he was going and what exactly he was going to do.

"Lord Sesshoumaru certainly is brilliant," Rin spoke with such admiration. Even though Rin had been through so much, seeing her Lord always made her feel better. She still hated herself for what she had done to that village, but she couldn't live with herself if Lord Sesshoumaru hated her as well. All that mattered in the world to her now was Lord Sesshoumaru. That's all she had, and that's all she needed. _'I am very sorry, Lord Sesshoumaru.'_

"Why didn't you tell Lord Sesshoumaru of Hikakustu contacting you and trying to be resurrected? Don't you believe that was important information, Rin?"

She put her head down in shame. She didn't know what to tell Jaken. "I am sorry, Master Jaken. I had tried many times to tell Lord Sesshoumaru, but I could never get the words out that I wanted to say. Hikakustu somehow made me like this. I can't explain it. Hikakustu speaks in my sleep about how I am a woman and…" she began to blush. "I think he wants to do some grown up things with me, if you know what I mean."

"Grown up things?" Jaken questioned. He didn't know what she meant at first, but her idiotic and blushing features gave it away. "Do you mean to tell me that Hikakustu wishes to be revived so you can bear his child?" Jaken began to feel sick. "Why anyone would be interested in a girl like you is beyond me. It is something that I shall never come to understand."

"That is because you are a fool!" Rin yelled. "Why wouldn't Lord Hikakustu want me? Why wouldn't anyone want me? I'm not a child anymore! I'm a woman and I have woman feelings! I have the knowledge of a woman! I-" Rin cut herself off with a sneeze. She was still sick and wouldn't recover if she kept arguing with Jaken.

"If there was any type of demon that despised half breeds, it was the Eouros. I cannot understand why Hikakustu would seek a half breed now." _'Rin's powers are still new and powerful. It doesn't seem like she's completely in control of her actions but she did seem stable as far as her powers. Now Lord Sesshoumaru at least understands her transformation. We know why she transforms and how she can transform back.'_ "Rin, we must not move from this spot, or Lord Sesshoumaru will have our heads. Is that clear?"

She nodded. "I understand very well, Master Jaken, and I don't plan on moving. I think that I have done enough."

"Well you have! You have no idea what you've done."

She hung her head down low. "I am very sorry Master Jaken. I won't let it happen again."

* * *

_'Hikakustu,'_ Sesshoumaru thought to himself as he continued on flying through the air. It was ironic that the sky was so blue a vibrant when it seemed like a dark time. _'He has been sealed for hundreds of years by my father's fang. It will not be removed.'_ It all seemed too strange though. Everything fit so well, as if it was all a plot by Naraku. _'Naraku had turned Rin into a full grown woman and then into a half demon and now the demon Koibara is trying to take over her body. This seems like a plot by Naraku, but not even Naraku could have anticipated that Hikakustu would be able to contact Rin and have such a strong power over her. It is impossible for Naraku to have even known of Hikakustu and Koibara. Koibara has been dead and Hikakustu has been sealed longer than Naraku's existence.' _Sesshoumaru landed outside of Toutousai's unpleasant and unpleasing home. Toutousai was waiting outside for Sesshoumaru

_'I expected him to be on time. It's a good thing I stayed up all night to finish or Sesshoumaru would have slaughtered me.'_ "I have finished the sword, just as you requested." He was holding the sheathed sword in his hands tightly. He didn't want to give it to Sesshoumaru without making sure that it was not for him. "So, how has the half demon girl been doing, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"The girl?" Sesshoumaru asked. Sesshoumaru figured out quickly how Toutousai got the information once he saw Myouga standing on Toutousai's shoulder. "Myouga, what an unpleasant surprise." He wasn't happy to see Myouga. He never was. Myouga was loyal to Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru had only found more hatred for his brother the last few times he made contact with him.

"The mortal girl who has turned into a half demon, how is she doing? Has she been devoured by the nature of the demon?" Sesshoumaru thought that he didn't owe Myouga an answer, so he didn't give him one, but Myouga already knew. "I see. I came to see Toutousai and found him to be working on a sword for you, Lord Sesshoumaru. I knew by the handle that he was making, that the sword must be for the girl. The poor child must have been tainted by the nature of the Eouro. The poor soul…"

"The sword," Sesshoumaru said to Toutousai with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Always to the point. You haven't changed ever since you were a child, Lord Sesshoumaru." Toutousai handed the sheathed sword to Sesshoumaru with a lot of pride in his work. "This sword is very power, Lord Sesshoumaru. You could use an attack like the wind scar, but I fear the sword is not strong enough to do an attack like the backlash wave, Tetsusaiga's ultimate attack. I doubt the girl could wield it properly though. This sword is called Rikoistu."

"Rikoistu?" Sesshoumaru unsheathed the sword, his sword, made from his own fang. It was the size of Tokijin at a first glance, but it transformed into a giant fang, but it was not the same size as the Tetsusaiga. Toutousai had done a good job, but Sesshoumaru wished it could have been more powerful than the Tetsusaiga, but its power was sufficient for Rin. _'This sword shall stop Koibara from taking control of Rin.'_ Sesshoumaru still wished himself to be stronger. There was no demon that could match up to his might except for his father. Sesshoumaru hoped that he could defeat his father one day, but now Sesshoumaru had to live in question, because of his half breed brother and his treacherous mother. Sesshoumaru however still had a lot of growing to do. He wasn't even at his prime, but he wished that he could get there at a much faster pace.

"Has the girl lost loyalty in you and found it in her own people, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

That comment irritated Sesshoumaru greatly. Myouga grew frightened by the look Sesshoumaru had on his face. "The demon essence used to turn Rin into a demon was none other than Koibara."

"Not Koibara!" Myouga yelled, but began to panic. "She and Hikakustu were mates. They were so close. If Koibara surfaces than she shall try to resurrect Hikakustu, and you are aware of how powerful Hikakustu was."

"I do not fear him," Sesshoumaru said to Myouga with such insult in his voice. "It would be foolish to presume that I am."

"I do not believe you fear him Lord Sesshoumaru, but Hikakustu was a formidable demon. He shall surely come back with a vengeance if he was released. You were just a boy when your father sealed him away. He has been sleeping for hundreds of years. He would seek revenge on you."

"He would seek revenge but would not find it within me. I am far too powerful to fall by the hands of an Eouro demon. If he was released, I would make sure that he would meet his tragic demise." Sesshoumaru had nothing else to say to Toutousai and Myouga. He had what he wanted and began to leave. Sesshoumaru did not fear Hikakustu, but Rin was his concern. _'If Hikakustu has such a strong hold over Rin while he lays in dormant then Rin shall be lost if he is released.'_

"I fear that if Sesshoumaru doesn't kill the girl, then the price will be all of our heads. I do not know if Lord Sesshoumaru is stronger than Hikakustu. Their last encounter didn't end well. Sesshoumaru was a boy at the time, but I do not know if his power has increased enough since that time to defeat Hikakustu. Even Lord Sesshoumaru's father had a difficult time with Hikakustu." Myouga only worried himself while expressing his feelings to Toutousai.

Toutousai didn't feel so worried. "With that sword, the half demon girl that you told me about should be able to keep a hold of her human side in control. The handle of the sword possesses the same mystical properties of the Tetsusaiga. I knew the sword wasn't for Sesshoumaru, and that is why I made it."

"I only hope the girl can keep herself in control."

* * *

"Why are you sobbing?" Jaken yelled. "Lord Sesshoumaru does not plan on killing you!"

Rin was lying on one side of Ah-Un and Jaken sat on the other. It was Rin's sad attempt to separate herself from Jaken, who wouldn't leave her alone. Rin was already sick and upset enough. She didn't need to hear scolding from Jaken as well. "Please leave me alone Master Jaken. It was all a horrible accident."

"You betrayed Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken crossed his arms. "You just wait until Lord Sesshoumaru comes back. He's going to punish you for your actions!"_ 'And that will be the end of my worries. Lord Sesshoumaru will not warm up to her anymore than what he has.'_

Rin's sobs turned into a loud cry. "You can be so heartless, Master Jaken!" _'I did not wish to be an Eouro! It is all because of that treacherous Naraku! I will never forgive him or that cursed Hikakustu! Being a half demon has caused me nothing but grief. I do not wish to be this way anymore. I never wanted to be this way, and now I'm hurting everyone!'_

Jaken smiled as he saw a ball of light approaching them, knowing that it was Sesshoumaru. _'Today the threat of Rin ends.' _When the light reached them, it took the form of Sesshoumaru. Once his regular form appeared, Rin closed her eyes and waited for it all to end.

_'Is he really going to kill me?'_

"Rin."

_'He wouldn't do that, would he?'_ She shook her head. _'He wouldn't…' _She stood up and tried to remain calm. She would accept her punishment. _'I could not blame him. I am horrible.'_ "Yes my Lord?" Rin noticed that instead of having two swords under his sash, he had three. _'When did he get that?'_ When he reached for it, she grew even paler than what she was. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" she questioned in fear. She closed her eyes once he held it out at her, but then she realized that she wasn't hurt. _'What is he doing? Is he trying to give it to me?' _She reached out to touch it, but hesitated about taking it.

_'What is that sword for?'_ Jaken asked himself.

"If you can wield this sword Rin, I shall let you keep it."

She heard him, but did not understand. She still did not take the sword from him. Jaken was beyond shocked. "What? Do you mean to tell me that you are giving her that powerful sword?" Jaken could feel the strong demonic powers on it and knew it was great.

Rin grabbed a hold of it and held it tightly, but still didn't understand. "This sword is called Rikoistu. It was created from my own fang. Do not make a mockery out of it, Rin."

She gazed at it carefully and pulled it close to her. "You're giving me this…" She bit her lip and tears began to form in her eyes. It wasn't out of sadness though. It was out of pure joy, and she instantly had so much of it, she wasn't sure what to do with it all. She had felt such sorrow for so long. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" a smile slowly began forming on her face. It wasn't soon until she exploded. "Thank you so much for this!" She held it even closer to her. "I shall guard this sword with my life and I shall learn to use it properly. I swear I will." Her tears began to fall from her eyes. "I thank you greatly for this treasure. I shall never part with it."

Sesshoumaru did not understand her burst of emotions. She seemed to be happy, and was yet crying. Her gestures were unusual. Sesshoumaru instantly began to regret giving it to her. Her emotions were just too strange to him.

_'No!'_ Jaken couldn't believe it. He already treated Rin better than him, but at least Jaken could always think to himself that he had The Staff of Two Heads, a gift from his Lord. Now Rin had a wonderful gift as well. _'A sword created from his own fang? He gives it to her?' _Seeing the look Rin had on her face only added to his woes. _'I cannot let this be! A moment ago she was scared for her life and now she appears to…to…' _Jaken shook his head. _'Please let me be imagining this!'_

To Be Continued…


	20. Chapter 20: Unlikely Partnership

Chapter 20

I don't own Inuyasha

"Sango!" Miroku yelled to her. She had run off from them and had been missing. Once Kagome told Inuyasha that she had sensed a jewel shard in the area, they all realized why she had run off and who she wanted to see. When they finally found her, they found her in a great sorrow. She was wounded. There were claw marks on her arm and she was bleeding greatly. Kirara was moaning in agony for poor Sango, who was crying while she cradled her brother's body in her arms.

"Oh, Kohaku" Sango couldn't stop crying and no one knew how to comfort her.

"His jewel shard is gone…" Kagome reached out to touch Sango, but pulled her hand away. _'Oh, what can I say to her? Her brother is gone. Now she really is all alone in the world.'_

"Who could have done this?" Shippo asked.

Inuyasha was not with his friends because he was searching for Naraku's scent, but once he found nothing but a dead end, he sought out his friends. He unfortunately didn't make it on time to stop Sango from leaving. When he arrived, Kagome, Shippo, and Miroku were sadly gazing at Kohaku's body. When he saw Kohaku's body, he knew what was going on. "Sango left for revenge, didn't she?"

"I suppose so," Miroku said. "It's sad. I was hoping we could free Kohaku from Naraku's grasp."

"We've got to stop Sango," Inuyasha told them.

"Do you know who did this?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha nodded worriedly. "This is a trap by Naraku. She's been set up, and she's falling right into it."

* * *

_'Rikoistu'_ Rin held her sword so close to herself. She had only possessed her sword for four hours and still held it as if she was touching it for the first time._ 'This sword is a gift from my Lord and I shall never let it go.'_She was still sick, but decided to walk on her own. "This sword is rather heavy…" she admitted quietly to herself, but Jaken and Sesshoumaru could hear what she said.

"That is because you are a weak child," Jaken told her.

Rin grunted. "What do you know master Jaken? You're such a pest!"

"If you cannot wield it," Sesshoumaru began to say, "then I shall simply take it back. It is better that I carry the sword than for it to go to waste."

"But I shall not waste it!" Rin yelled. "I swear I'll learn to wield it, and I'll wield it properly! I swear I will!" It sounded more like begging than trying to simply convince him, but Sesshoumaru let her be. Sesshoumaru didn't honestly believe that she could bring out the potential of the sword, but the sword's true objective was to keep Koibara dormant.

Jaken noticed how much Rin was cradling the sword. She treated it like a child instead of a weapon of death. Jaken was very grateful for the Staff of Two Heads, but this time, things were different. Rin's eyes would dart back and forth between her sword and Sesshoumaru. Every time she looked at her sword, she would go into a thankful panic and every time she looked at Sesshoumaru, her cheeks would seem as if they were burning. _'It cannot be! Rin cannot be in love with Lord Sesshoumaru, can she?'_ She glanced back at Sesshoumaru and blushed again. _'She must! She is in love with him!'_ The thought infuriated him. He needed to release his frustration. "Rin, you cannot even wield that sword!"

Rin thought it as a challenge. "Oh, is that for certain, Master Jaken?" Rin stopped cradling the sword and placed one hand on the sheath and one hand on the handle. "I can wield it just fine!" She began to pull out the sword, but very awkwardly and slowly, as if she was having trouble. It took her much effort, and she only embarrassed herself. When she was finished pulling the sword out of the sheath, she was in a strange stance, unsure what to do with the sword. _'What should I do?'_ When she saw the smug look on Jaken's face, it angered her and only made her determined to prove him wrong. "Watch this, Master Jaken!" She ran straight for a tree with the sword tightly in her hands. _'I can do this!'_ "Haaa!" She closed her eyes, lifted her sword up into the air and swung it down and in one fail swoop, she was stuck. She opened her eyes and realized that she wasn't strong enough to cut through the thick tree. "No!"

Jaken began to laugh at poor Rin, while Rin struggled not to whimper and start crying. _'He will take his sword back after this.' _Jaken laughed louder. Sesshoumaru walked over to Rin, who was trying to free the sword from the tree. Rin backed away ashamed of her futile attempt to strike the tree down. Sesshoumaru placed his hand on the sword and easily freed it. _'I suppose he'll want it back.'_

Sesshoumaru effortless cut the tree down, without even making it transform. "Jaken," Sesshoumaru asked, "if you believe that you can handle this sword better than Rin, then you are welcome to try."

Rin's mouth dropped in desperation, but she said nothing. Her lips were quivering. She wanted to say something, but figured she had no right to complain. Besides, only a fool defied Sesshoumaru's will. Jaken happily and proudly held out his hands to accept the sword. "Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru! I shall wield it!"

Sesshoumaru dropped it in his hands and within a matter of seconds, Jaken began to burn. His whole body was instantly set on fire. He dropped the sword and began rolling on the ground, screaming. Sesshoumaru picked up his sword and faced Rin and placed the sword back into her hands. "But what happened to Master Jaken?"

"This sword is meant for only your hands and mine alone. It didn't take a liking to Jaken." Sesshoumaru began walking away to continue on his journey, but Rin was dumbfounded.

_'Lord Sesshoumaru seemed to almost have a look of amusement on his face. He knew that would happen to Master Jaken.'_ A smile came to her face and she began to laugh greatly. "Wait for me, Lord Sesshoumaru!" she placed her sword back in its sheath and began to cradle it once again. _'Only he and I can touch it.' _She usually walked behind Sesshoumaru, but this time she wanted to be by his side. _'So it's like our secret. It's our secret treasure.' _She held her sword with one hand and touched her chest with the other. _'Why is my heart pounding so? I never felt this way when I was a child. I thought he was beautiful when I was little, but it's different now. I feel like my heart is going to leap out of my chest.'_

Jaken had managed to put the fire out, but was unable to move. Ah-Un wrapped his tail around Jaken and began to carry Jaken so he wouldn't get left behind.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," before she could finish, she felt a burning sensation within her body. _'On no!__ It's happening again!'_ "I'm changing back!" she told him. She was horrified. _'What will become of me?'_ It wasn't like the last time though. She was in so much pain before, but it all seemed so simple. She looked at her hands, and she simply watched them as they grew longer and sharper. Her body pulsed, and the transformation was simply over. "I don't get it." She felt her fangs with her tongue very carefully, trying not to cut her tongue. "Lord Sesshoumaru, have I changed into a half demon?"

He thought it to be a strange and idiotic question. "Haven't your senses improved? Even a pathetic half breed should have far greater senses than that of a human." _'It worked. Koibara is lying in dormant. She cannot take control of Rin if she carries my fang.' _"Rin, it is imperative that you keep the Rikoistu with you at all times."

Rin began to sniff the air around her. The scent of the forest was so refreshing and Sesshoumaru's scent was so pleasant to her nose. Her eye sight did improve. She could even see his face more clearly. Her sight improved so much that she could have sworn she was blind before. His pale skin, his golden eyes, the ever calming composure of his lips seemed even more real to her, and his voice! She could hear him even more clearly. His voice was so strong and bold. It was the type of voice that could capture you and demand your attention. Everything about him was better. Her senses had improved indeed. She truly was a half demon once more. "I promise I will." She smiled gently at her Lord. "You had this sword made for me especially, so that I wouldn't lose control of my actions."

"If Koibara were to gain control of your body, she would release Hikakustu." Sesshoumaru looked off into the distance, picking up a scent. _'I smell blood, the blood of the little trouble maker.' _"Rin, do not interfere. Keep the Rikoistu with you at all times." Sesshoumaru glanced up in the air and saw Naraku's poisonous insects flying overhead. "They should lead me to him." Sesshoumaru said nothing more and began to follow Naraku's insects without giving his companions a second thought.

"But what about me, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin prepared herself to run after Sesshoumaru, but heard the moans of Jaken. She grunted and ran to Jaken, who was still curled in Ah-Un's tail. "Master Jaken, you really are a pest." Ah-Un let Jaken fall and Rin helped him to his feet. "You shouldn't be so mean to me since you couldn't wield the sword yourself."

_'She's right. I couldn't even touch it. I was nearly killed by touching it alone. Lord Sesshoumaru's will is what should decide the sword's actions. He didn't want me to touch the sword. Only he and Rin are to use it.' _Jaken felt as if he could cry. "Why!"

"Why what, Master Jaken?"

"Why would he give you such a gift? It is not fair!"

"But did he not give you the Staff of Two Heads, Master Jaken?"

It was then that Jaken realized that he didn't have the staff. "Oh no! I must have dropped the staff!" Jaken became so afraid. The last time he misplaced it, Sesshoumaru told him that he would die the next time he did misplaced it. "No! Lord Sesshoumaru will kill me! I must find the staff!" Jaken's strength somehow managed to return to him. "I must find it or I shall perish!" He ran from Rin and headed back to where they were.

"I shouldn't leave him." Rin placed the Rikoistu on her sash and petted Ah-Un on his back. "You stay here so I don't lose my way. If I am gone for too long, I want you to start roaring and I'll follow your voice, Ah-Un." She sighed. "Master Jaken is so helpless." She began to run off to Jaken and kept looking back at Ah-Un every few minutes until he was out of sight. "I hope I do not get lost." She looked down and Jaken, who wouldn't say a word to her. "This is all your fault. We're so far from Lord Sesshoumaru now."

"You did not have to follow!"

"But you're so hopeless!" Rin screamed with excitement and pointed ahead of her. "Look what I found, Master Jaken!" Rin ran forward happily. "I've found it!" She bent down on the ground and picked up her prize.

"You've found the staff?" He ran to her side to see the staff. He needed it in order to live.

"No silly!" She held it out to Jaken. "I've found a Sacred Shikon Jewel Shard!" Jaken didn't care about that! His life was on the line. "I've finally got one!"

* * *

_'The scent of the wind has changed.' _Sesshoumaru looked up in the air and saw Kagura falling from the sky and gracefully landed on her feet. "Wind Sorceress Kagura, might I know why you dare to come in my presence?"

"Lord Sesshoumaru." She crossed her arms and smiled. "I thought I might give you a word of advice." Sesshoumaru looked over head and saw that the insects were passing by, getting out of sight. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I would keep a better eye on my ward if I were you."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in at Kagura. "Is he planning on kidnapping her again? Is Naraku running out of ideas? He's becoming rather dull."

"If you're so bored, then why save the girl every time it occurs?" Sesshoumaru placed his hand on the Tokijin and prepared to strike her. "I haven't come here to fight. I've simply come to warn you, Lord Sesshoumaru." She glanced up above her to make sure that she wasn't being watched by Naraku's insects. "Your companions are in danger."

"You are in my way. Do not assume that I will not destroy you or simply give up my search because the girl is in danger. Besides, you have not earned my trust."

"You don't need to trust me," she told him. "You know that I want Naraku gone, so I can be free. I just thought you should know that you following Naraku's insects was all in vain. It's a diversion. He's not up ahead like you believe. I carry the same scent of Naraku. You might have been following mine. Naraku is about to pay your friends a visit."

* * *

"You know Master Jaken," Rin began to say, "Lord Sesshoumaru goes off on his own a lot and something bad always happens to me every time it happens. You would think that he would stay with me more often, so nothing would happen to me."

Jaken was disgusted with her talk. "Lord Sesshoumaru does not have to protect you, so do not assume that he will every time you are in danger. You are not important enough. Besides, he can be alone sometimes. Why do you care if he's gone or not? What's wrong with you?" Jaken felt as if his head was about to explode. He was just so angry with Rin, he couldn't take it. _'Being in love with him is insane. He could never love her back. She's nothing but a pest and was a child a while ago.'_

"Well, I just enjoy spending time with him and I'm very happy when I'm with him. Even with all of the sorrow I've experienced in my life, I can find happiness knowing that he is with me." Rin didn't notice that Jaken's teeth were grinding into one another, because she was upsetting him so. "When he's gone, I'm always getting kidnapped or attacked. Everyone knows that in order to get to him, you have to get to me." The thought excited her and faith flashed in her eyes. _'If everyone knows that, then am I the one missing something? Everyone knows to go after me. There must be a reason for that.' _"Master Jaken…" she was so afraid to ask him. She figured that he'd be honest and would tell her the truth. He knew Lord Sesshoumaru much longer than she did. "How do you think Lord Sesshoumaru feels about me?"

"He hates you," he seethed.

"He does not!" That obviously wasn't going to work. _'What's the matter with Master Jaken? Why is he so upset?'_ She decided that it was best to speak of something else. "I cannot believe that I have found a Sacred Shikon Jewel Shard. We still have a very long way to go Master Jaken. We only have one shard and there are hundreds more to collect." Rin was very sad, thinking about all she had to do in order to retrieve the rest of the jewel shards. "I'll have to take them from Inuyasha and his friends. I've already been such a bother to them already." She sighed. "I suppose that I've stolen things in the past. I shouldn't let taking their jewel shards bother me that much. Besides, it's for a very good cause." The jewel shard that she held in her hand had a black glow to it. It made her feel very strange, almost sick. "Master Jaken, why does Inuyasha seek the jewel? I wish to be a full human once again. Does Inuyasha want to become human like me?"

"Human like you?" Jaken began to chuckle, but it was harsh and short lived. "Human like you?" he asked again amused. "Inuyasha seeks to become a full fledged demon like our great Lord Sesshoumaru."

"A demon?" she asked. "But Master Jaken, why a…" Rin could hear something coming, but she wasn't sure what it was. Jaken didn't seem to realize what it was. There were three familiar scents in the air. One scent was…_'Blood? Am I smelling blood?'_ Another was cat, at least she thought so. _'It's a demon cat.'_ One other scent was familiar, but she wasn't positive what it was. _'I smell it…it's the scent of a person, a person that I know…' _She tried to think of who it was. It was on the tip of her tongue. "I think it's…ah!" The noise that she heard came to a halt and it ended with a cracking. She had felt a sharp and horrible pain in her back, but it easily stopped just as easily as it came and she fell off her feet and on to the ground with her face lying in the dirt. _'It's one of Inuyasha's friends.' _She finally remembered who the scent belonged to. "Master Jaken!"

Jaken ran to her side and saw her so helpless and scared. She had tears in her eyes, and she was ready to start crying. "Rin, you must get up!"

"Master Jaken! I cannot move! Please help me." Even with the demonic power she possessed, she was scared and totally helpless. She couldn't feel her legs at all. If she couldn't stand, she couldn't fight.

"I see your body is practically indestructible," came Sango's voice from behind. "My Hiraikotsu made a direct hit and yet, you managed to survive. The Eouro's certainly are powerful," she admitted. "But that won't stop me from succeeding. You'll pay for your crimes," she told Rin. "You'll pay for killing my little brother."

"Kill? Me?" Rin was about to protest, but she couldn't. She couldn't remember who she had killed when she had slaughtered that human village not too long ago. She could have possibly killed her brother. "I'm sorry," Rin told her. "Please believe me when I say that I don't remember."

"You don't remember?" Sango asked angrily. "You seemed fully aware of what you had done when I found you bathed in my younger brother's blood!"

Sango began to remember all of it. She remembered how she chased down Kohaku and she finally found him, he was struck down by Rin. Sango tried to stop her, but Rin's power had grown so much. She easily enough wounded Sango with her claws and then Kohaku in his back. His jewel shard came out and with that, he was gone. _"How could you?"_ she said to Rin with her heart filled with pain and her eyes filled with tears.

Rin just had a blood thirsty look on her face, smiling as she held the jewel shard in her hands._ "Don't let this bother you that much, Sango. I've finally realized my true calling. I have been given demon powers, so I might as well be a demon, and with the jewel, I shall become a full fledged demon." _

_"No!"__  
"I'll kill you friends for their jewel shards later, Sango. Oh, and don't take Kohaku dying so personally. Lord Sesshoumaru was planning on destroying him anyway." _She began laughing sadistically and left Sango all alone to grieve the loss of her brother.

_"I'll stop you!" _

"You spoke clearly. You obviously knew what you were doing." Sango had broken Hiraikotsu on Rin's back. It was severely cracked and still lying on top of Rin, so Sango drew her sword. She didn't use it half as much as her Hiraikotsu, but it was still very effective. _'She claims she doesn't remember, but she must have been aware. She seemed like she was. I at least know that she has threatened Kagome and told her that she would take the Sacred Shikon Jewel Shards from her. I cannot let her destroy my friends.'_ "You were once a little human girl, but now you're nothing but evil." Sango noticed that Rin was crying. _'This can't be the fierce demon that I fought earlier. It could possibly a trick from Naraku.'_ It was all starting to become so clear now. That was the most likely possibility. _'Naraku can shape shift, but if it was Naraku, then Kagome would have sensed more jewel shards then just one.'_ Sango then noticed the dark glow of a defiled jewel shard. "That was Kohaku's jewel shard. You did slaughter him!"

"Kohaku?" _'__I couldn't have killed Kohaku! Please, do not let this be so!'_

Jaken spotted his staff in some bushes and ran away from Rin for a moment. "Don't leave me Master Jaken! You're a coward!" Rin broke down in tears at that moment. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" she yelled.

Jaken had only run a few feet away and grabbed his staff. "I have found it!" Jaken eyed Sango with fierceness and prepared himself for battle. "Alright you stinking human, it's time to die!" _'If I don't protect Rin, Lord Sesshoumaru will indeed kill me.'_

Rin still couldn't really move. She could move her arms and tried to get up, but she couldn't move her legs. She couldn't even feel them._ 'I cannot walk. I'll never be able to walk again.' _She commanded herself to stop crying. _'No! I have to get up! I cannot accept defeat!' _Rin placed her palms on the ground and began to push with everything she had. Her legs were refusing to lift, but she didn't care. She had to keep trying. _'Lord Sesshoumaru had enough faith to trust me with his sword, so I should have faith in myself to stand.'_ She grunted in severe pain, but pushed through it. She felt pain return to her legs and it actually relieved her. She could now feel in her legs again. After the quick pain left, her legs felt sleepy and once she stood on her drossy feet, she felt like she was going to fall back down.

Sango had been to the back of Rin, so this whole time she had not seen her face, but once Rin was able to turn around, she did and Sango saw in her eyes that she was a scared little girl, not a cold blooded murderer. "But if you didn't kill Kohaku, then who did? How did you get his jewel shard?"

Rin stumbled back a bit, not being able to stand up straight. "I…me and Master Jaken found it."

"That means someone must have planted it there so I would see it and know what you had done. I bet Naraku wanted me to kill you and I actually almost fell for it." Sango felt foolish for letting herself fall so deep into Naraku's trap. She was filled with sadness, but her anger overwhelmed it. Tears had managed to fall, but she was so angry that she didn't even notice. She just wanted revenge for her brother, her dear little brother who hadn't even got a chance to remember her. _'Oh Kohaku…'_

"You couldn't do it? How pathetic you are?" came Rin's voice, but Rin hadn't said a word. Jaken gasped once he looked up in a tree behind Sango and Rin and saw what appeared to be another Rin, standing on a tree branch. This Rin was different. She wasn't updated. Her hair was still long and the kimono she was wearing was old, the first one she had gotten when she transformed into a half demon. "Now I suppose I'll have to kill you all for Master Naraku." This Rin was fast and strong. In a matter of seconds, she jumped off of the branch and slashed Sango in her shoulder. The wound was deep and deadly.

Sango dropped her sword and her strength. _'No! I have to stop her.'_ "It's a demon puppet."

"A demon puppet?" Jaken asked. "How was Naraku able to make a demon puppet with Rin's body?"

"All he needed was a perhaps a stand of her hair. It's not that hard to make," Sango told them. "The demon puppet should not be stronger than the real Rin, though. She can defeat the puppet."

"I can?" Rin didn't have much faith in herself. Sango was bleeding and had already lost a lot of blood. She came into battle already wounded. Rin noticed her weary eyes. _'She can no longer fight, but what am I supposed to do against it?'_ Rin unsheathed her sword. It wasn't so heavy when she was a half demon. Knowing that, she decided to have some faith in herself. _'I've got to know I can do this, or all of my friends will die.'_

The demon puppet charged Sango and tried to kick her, but Sango dodged it and continued to dodge every assault that the puppet threw at her, but there was one punch that Sango couldn't avoid and it collided with her face and knocked her against a tree. Sango was beginning to lose eye sight. She placed her hand on her new wound and stopped herself from crying out in pain. _'I cannot let myself die. I need revenge!'_ She forced herself to stand, but just because her mind was willing, didn't mean her body could go on. She lost all feeling in her body and fell on her backside. She tried to keep her eyes open, but it was useless. She could no longer see. She closed her eyes. "Kohaku…" she called his name out weakly and fell unconscious.

"Sango!" Rin cried out. _'I can't let her be killed. I have to keep her alive!_' "Alright, I'm going to win this!" Rin charged at her fake and held her sword recklessly into the air. The fake dodged Rin's first attack and clawed Rin in her face. Rin winced, but continued on fighting.

"You really are pathetic," the puppet told her. "This is just too easy," she took the sword out of her hand and tossed it. Rin gasped and made a run for the sword, but her legs weren't working all that well, and she stumbled and fell. "How tragic." The puppet's arm extended and grabbed a hold of Rin's foot. Rin screamed, but commanded herself to be strong and she stopped.

_'I can do this!'_ She reached and grabbed a hold of her sword just in time for the puppet began to drag Rin's body back to her. "I'm not going to let you kill me!" Rin cut the puppet's hand off and got back on her feet. She held out her sword oddly, but prepared to fight, nonetheless. "I am not afraid of you!" she yelled to the puppet. "Naraku will not get away with all of the pain he has caused me!" she told the puppet.

"You can't even fight."

"Get back Rin!" Jaken commanded. Rin ran away from the puppet and out of danger. Jaken had his staff clasped tightly in his hands. "Feel the power of the Staff of Two Heads!" Fire began to shoot out towards the puppet, but it easily enough jumped behind Jaken and kicked him in the head, knocking him down and out.

"You're no help!" Rin yelled to Jaken, but it was no use. He could not hear her. "I'll have to do this on my own."

"Naraku wanted me to kill you if anything went wrong," the puppet told her. "I suppose I'll have to follow my master's orders, now won't I?"

Rin didn't allow herself to become petrified once she saw the puppet charging at her. _'That thing killed Kohaku! I'm not going to let it kill me as well!' She _suddenly began to feel the sword in her hand pulse. _'What's going on?'_ The puppet was so close, but Rin held her ground. _'I trust in the power that my Lord gave me. I believe Lord Sesshoumaru will protect me! It is Lord Sesshoumaru's will to protect me.' _She held her sword up into the air and felt its strength. "I won't die!" As she swung it, it became much heavier and her strength and gravity was enough to slash the puppet in half and it exploded. Rin was knocked back and the sword was knocked out of her hand and transformed back into its normal state. When she opened her eyes, the puppets true from was nothing more than a wooden figure that was now broken in two. "A little doll did all of that?" Rin could sense something else though and stood to her feet. "Naraku?"

In the darkness of the forest, he cloaked himself, but was now ready to come out of hiding. He was cloaked in his baboon fur, but his smirk could be seen so clear. "Very good, Rin. You are becoming much stronger."

"Naraku!" Rin searched around for her sword, but couldn't see it. Sango was unconscious and so was Jaken. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" she called.

"Are you too afraid to face me yourself, Rin?"

Rin was beginning to become angry, unnaturally angry. Sure she was angry with Naraku, but she was beginning to feel darkness within her rise and take shape. _'What is becoming of me?'_ For some reason, she felt a great desperation to find her sword, but didn't see it anywhere._ 'I must keep a hold of myself somehow.' _Rin remembered what happened the last time she tried to fight Naraku and knew that she wasn't strong enough to defeat him. _'I need my sword or at least…' _She still had a jewel shard in her hand and with that she got an idea_. 'The jewel shard are said to grant power to those who use it. Perhaps I can use its power to defeat Naraku.'_ Rin quickly acted and placed the sacred jewel within her arm. "Now Naraku, we can…" she backed away and fell off her feet and on to her knees.

_'The sacred jewel she possessed was indeed Kohaku's. It is black with his pain and suffering.'_ "The jewel shard possesses a black glow, because it has been tainted with malice. The jewel that you have placed in your body is corrupt and you too will be corrupted as well."

_'No, I cannot allow myself to lose control…' _Her body was burning again and pulsing. Her eyes began to glow with brightness. _'I must stop myself somehow…'_ She was losing it all somehow. Her control was going away. She couldn't even move her body enough to take out the sacred jewel shard. It was too late. Rin was gone…

_'This is turning out better than I expected.' _"Have you been completely lost?"

She closed her eyes and slowly stood to her feet. She stretched her body and Naraku could hear her back crack. She cracked her fingers, feeling better than she ever had in a great while. A slow smirk came to her face, realizing that she had appeared at just the right moment with the right demon standing in front of her. She slowly opened her eyes and began to speak. "Well, what a pleasant surprise. I was hoping I'd run into you."

Naraku was a bit baffled, but very much amused. "I am under the impression that I am no longer speaking with Rin."

She laughed a bit. "That mortal?" she asked. "No, she is but a mortal girl. I however am a demon woman. The essence that Toashiki placed in Rin's body was not artificial. It belonged to an Eouro demon." Naraku didn't seem too impressed, but he was still amused. "I see…you're probably too young to know what Eouro demons are. Very well, I still have a proposition for you, Naraku."

"A proposition? How interesting. I was hoping to destroy Rin and instead am offered a deal."

"Yes, a very great deal. We seem to have a mutual enemy. His name is Lord Sesshoumaru."

Naraku's interest had already been caught, but now he knew for sure that this would be the type of plan he'd agree to. "This is becoming quite the pleasant surprise. I would have never expected that the essence that was placed in Rin's body would harbor such a grudge against Sesshoumaru."

"I don't have a grudge against him specifically, but he's in my way. The last time I saw him, he was a cute and practically harmless little kid. Well, harmless to me anyway. Now he's all grown up and a nuisance. I need him exterminated. I'd try to do it myself, but involving you seems like it would be so much more fun. If you help me, then I swear that Lord Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and all of their companions will be dead."

"And what will you require?"

"I shall require the fragment of the Shikon Jewel that you possess. The jewel for their deaths, it seems like a fair trade." _'Not that I trust you anyway. I'm positive that you will seek the jewel after I completed my end of the bargain, but he won't be powerful enough to take it from me, and he especially cannot stand against Hikakustu.'_

"It would seem so." Naraku threw the jewel to her and she happily caught it. "And is this all you require of me?"

"Of course not, Naraku." She rubbed the jewel with her fingers. _'Now I can finally be a full blooded demon once more, as soon as I kill Inuyasha, his friends, and the pesky wolf demon Kouga.' _"I should probably properly introduce myself before we continue our partnership. My name is Koibara of the Eouros, and I need you to lure Inuyasha somewhere."

"And for what purpose?"

She could hardly contain her excitement. Soon, she would be reunited with the one person she longed to be with. "I wish for you to wake someone up."

To be continued…


	21. Chapter 21: Unsure

Chapter 21

"So Naraku," Koibara said while her fingers were stroking the Shikon Jewel with admiration, "we have an agreement? Do you understand what you are to do?" Koibara knew she didn't have long. She could sense Sesshoumaru on his way and fast. _'It is time for your end.' _Koibara began to look for the sword that Sesshoumaru had given Rin. She needed to hold onto it. Finally, she spotted it up in a tree. "No wonder why Rin couldn't see it." She easily enough got it out and placed it back on her sash without turning back to Rin. _'As long as I keep the black jewel shard in my arm, I shall not rest again and I shall be in control of this body.'_

_'So does this demon actually trust me?'_ Naraku knew better than that. _'No, she mustn't truly trust in me. She must simply trust me enough to help her with her little problem.' _

_'I have to make this look convincing,'_ Koibara clawed herself in her left leg and then her right arm. She hurt herself alright. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" she screamed. She held her wound to try and stop the bleeding, something Rin would do.

"I bid you farewell." Naraku made a quick exit, knowing that Sesshoumaru was near. A few seconds later, he showed up.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Koibara smiled, knowing that the child would do that. _'I must be the girl. If he suspects that I have gained control over Rin's body, then my plot shall be ruined.' _"Naraku, he just got away."

_'His scent is still fresh. I can catch him if I-'_ he heard Rin cry out in pain from her wounds. He glanced over at her and then noticed the demon slayer there. He could remember her name, not that he cared to, but he still knew that she was Sango. She was bleeding, maybe even dying. Humans were such fragile creatures.

"Naraku," Koibara began to say, "he made a demon puppet that looked exactly like me. It attacked Sango's brother Kohaku, the boy you've been searching for." _'If I can keep his attention, then maybe he'll stay with me and won't go after Naraku.'_

_'I see.'_ Sesshoumaru easily enough figured it out. _'So Naraku plotted to kill her again?'_ "And this girl, Inuyasha's friend sought to kill you?"

Koibara noticed the look that he had in his eyes. _'So what?__ Is he going to kill her to avenge me? I am still alive and yet he seeks to kill her for my sake.' _Koibara began to stare at Sango_. 'She's still alive, but if Sesshoumaru were to kill her, then Inuyasha would seek after us for revenge instead of Naraku. I cannot allow that, it'll mess up everything.'_ Koibara began to sniff the air. _'Inuyasha isn't too far away, but he can't come to us. If that girl Kagome sees the jewel shard in my arm, Sesshoumaru will know what I've been up to. I cannot afford to run into them.'_ "Lord Sesshoumaru, she didn't hurt me…so could you not…"

_'It's probably Naraku's will that I kill the girl. He thinks he's so clever.'_ He took his attention off of Sango and back on Rin. _'He's still interested in her. He sees the potential and how easily she could lose control; otherwise, Naraku wouldn't naturally be so repetitive and continue seeking after her. It would be best to kill Naraku now before he tries something else. He's becoming quite the bother.' _

_'He's about to leave!'_ Koibara tried to stand, but moaned in pain and fell over. That caught his attention, which was surprising to Koibara. _'He's concerned about me. He actually is concerned for me. Is…'_ The idea seemed so strange. She didn't even finish the thought, but then she needed to make sure. She decided to try to stand again. She could, but she fell over purposely. She noticed a flash of concern in his eyes and she could finally ask herself the question. _'Is he in love with Rin?' _

Sesshoumaru saw that Jaken was unconscious, just like the girl Sango. "What happened when Naraku came here? Did he seek to kill you or something else?"

_'Something else?__ Is he onto me?'_ "I suppose he came to kill me."

"Your demonic aura has increased." His suspicions had begun to rise. _'She still however does have possession of the sword. She shouldn't have lost control and appears to be herself.'_

_'What should I tell him?'_ She smiled and held out the Shikon Jewel Shard that Naraku had given her. "I did manage to take this from Naraku before I became too wounded. He'll come after it, but at least I have possession of the large fragment." _'I hope this is working. He doesn't seem to trust me.' _She forced herself to smile brighter, trying to be like the child as much as possible. "Now I can soon become human again, my Lord!" _'Soon I shall become a full fledged demon once more.'_

_'Naraku will come for the jewel, but I shall follow him still.'_ "Jaken," he called. Jaken was still unconscious, but Sesshoumaru didn't care. "Jaken," he called again, this time much more forcefully and he raised his voice a bit.

Jaken slowly opened his eyes. He was afraid that Sesshoumaru might do something to him, since he was not able to protect Rin. Jaken saw that Rin was hurt, and reluctantly stood up. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?" he questioned. In an instant, Jaken was forced back down on the ground with three lumps on his head. Sesshoumaru struck him fast and hard.

_'He just punished Jaken for not protecting Rin?'_ Koibara was beginning to find out much by only being with him a few minutes. _'I refuse to believe it. He can't be in love with her. He might love her, but he's not in love with her.'_ "And what about Sango, the demon slayer?" she asked.

"She's not my concern" he started walking away.

Koibara questioned what Rin would do. Would she honestly just leave her there bleeding? Rin certainly wouldn't want to be left behind._ 'I can't stay anyway. Inuyasha will come and he'll want to take the jewel away from me.' _Koibara hid the jewel within her clothes and hoped that everything would end well. _'Lord Hikakustu, I hope that I can see you again. I've missed you.'_ She stood up, like she could do all along. She tried to struggle, just so Sesshoumaru wouldn't question why she was suddenly better. She even walked with a limp._ 'I'll soon be with you, Lord Hikakustu. I shall soon be with you again.' _She turned around and looked back at Sango._ 'Inuyasha is near. She'll survive.'_ With that, she pushed all thoughts of the demon slayer out of her mind and walked with Sesshoumaru and the still very much in pain Jaken to retrieve Ah-Un.

Once they had, Koibara decided to ride on him in order to keep up her charade. She couldn't help but keep staring at Sesshoumaru. He was certainly different than how she remembered_. 'Before he was just a bothersome little kid, a no good little daddy's boy. Now he's a grown demon Lord. His power is great, but nothing compared to Lord Hikakustu or even his father. He hasn't even reached his prime yet.'_ The last time she saw him he was a child. In appearance in human years, he looked about eight or so, although he was much older in demon years_. 'He was a cute kid, but now he's very good looking. I can see why the human girl fell in love with him.' _"Lord Sesshoumaru," Koibara asked, still trying to sound as innocent as possible, "Have I become too much of a bother?" She knew exactly what she was doing. "Do you wish for me to leave?"

"Yes," Jaken muttered.

"Silence, Jaken." It seemed at first that he wasn't going to answer, but he eventually did. "You can leave if you wish to." He always tried to make it clear that she wasn't a prisoner and was free to leave if she wanted to. She was being a bother and he would be better off if she had left, but he didn't tell her to go.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I do not wish to leave."

"Then stay," he told her.

_'He certainly has a hard time revealing his feelings. He really wishes for her to stay, surprisingly.'_ She smiled. _'I can use that to my advantage.'_ She could literally feel the tension that Jaken was emitting. Jaken was extremely upset and that amused her. _'The little imp is scared that Lord Sesshoumaru is in love with me…' _She placed her sights back on Sesshoumaru. _'Is he in love with Rin? I don't see why he would be. Sesshoumaru has no interest in humans, even less so than when he was a boy. It doesn't make any sense.'_ She decided to further test her 'power' over Sesshoumaru and yelled as she what seemed to be accidentally falling off of Ah-Un. Sesshoumaru's eyes hadn't been on her, but he gazed at her until he knew for certain that she was alright.

"What are you doing?" Jaken yelled.

_'He certainly is annoyed.'_ "Sorry Lord Sesshoumaru and Master Jaken." Saying Lord Sesshoumaru almost made her cringe. _'My only Lord is Hikakustu and it'll be fun to make Sesshoumaru bow down and say it, the disgusting dog.' _Koibara decided to walk now. She had been riding on Ah-Un for a few hours and had no intention of riding on him all day. _'One more trick though.'_ She tripped Jaken, making him fall down flat on his face. Sesshoumaru didn't give Jaken as much as a glance. He did seem a little amused. _'Interesting that he paid him no mind and paid it to me, but then again, he might not like Jaken at all.'_

Jaken began to yell at Koibara, not knowing that it actually was Koibara. She let him though and didn't respond back. She was waiting until Sesshoumaru stepped in, and finally he did. He instructed Jaken to be quiet and she had all the proof she needed. Rin knew that Sesshoumaru cared for her well being and was nice to her, so Koibara knew it as well. Rin had never dared to question if Sesshoumaru returned the feelings that she had for him, but Rin wasn't exactly trained in the art of the male species. Koibara was beginning to jump the gun.

It was beginning to get late and Rin was still covered in the scent of her own blood. Her wounds had easily begun to close though. _'The jewel that she possesses now has increased her demonic aura, but the fang that I gave her seems to be keeping Koibara at bay, or at least that is what it seems to be doing.'_ She had been acting strange and Sesshoumaru certainly wasn't a fool. For a long time, he hadn't trust her, but now he was suspicious. "Go clean yourself off, Rin."

"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru." She found a small stream, not too far away from Sesshoumaru and Jaken. She figured that they were going to rest for that night. _'We're on our way to Naraku but he doesn't seem to be in too much of a hurry.'_ She couldn't smell Inuyasha in the area, but could sense that he was very far away. _'This isn't good. We're a lot closer to Naraku than Inuyasha. I cannot afford to get there first. I'll have to slow Sesshoumaru down.' _She cleaned herself and was pleased to see that her wound was closing. She didn't inflict too much damage on herself, only enough for Sesshoumaru to think she was in a serious fight. Being a demon was definitely an advantage, but having the jewel shard in her arm helped as well. _'At least he doesn't know about the corrupt jewel shard in my arm. If he did, it would be all over.'_

When she returned, Sesshoumaru was questioning Jaken about the events that had happened that day. "What happened between Rin and Naraku?"

"I am afraid that I was unconscious by the time Naraku showed up. First the demon slayer appeared and then the demon puppet. The puppet was fierce and unquestionably wiser than Rin. It fought so well."  
_  
'Naraku created a demon puppet of Rin to trick that demon slayer into killing her. All he needed was one strand of her hair. There could be a number of ways he could have gotten it. She did cut it and rather sort too.'_ He was watching her curiously, and vise versa. She cautiously made her way to his side and sat down. "What are you doing?" he questioned.

"Is it alright if I lay next to you?" she asked, but she asked with a confidence, as if she knew he was going to say yes.

"Do as you wish" was his answer, but it was all rather curious to him. _'Usually when she thinks I am upset with her, she tries to keep her distance until she knows that everything is alright.'_ He thought about how ridiculous her face would look at first, but then a small smile would come to her and she would come closer. _'Disgusting,'_ he thought to himself. _'Why would I know all these things?'_ Her mannerisms, all of them, he knew, and she was beginning to act too oddly for his taste. What disgusted him was the fact that he realized that she was slightly out of character. It wasn't enough to cause a panic, but it was enough to notice.

_'He seems to be on to me.'_

"Hikakustu," he said.

She nearly jumped out of her skin.

Sesshoumaru noticed that she was nervous rather than scared. Before she was scared when he questioned her about it. "Have you had any dreams of him, Rin, since you obtained my fang?"

_'It's just a question.'_ "No my Lord, I have not." _'He hasn't contacted the girl and probably won't contact me until he awakens. He doesn't need to. I'm smart enough to figure out how this is going to work.'_ She leaned on Sesshoumaru, but she felt so uncomfortable doing it. Sure he was handsome and she knew he hadn't figured out anything yet, but Hikakustu was the only one for her. _'Soon we shall be together, Lord Hikakustu, and the dog shall join his father in the depths of Hell.'_

_'She seems uneasy, not as comfortable as she usually is…'_ Usually Rin would fall asleep quickly on him, but it took her so long to actually rest.

* * *

"Sango," Miroku placed her hand on her shoulder, knowing that this wasn't the time for him to do something perverted. "I am very sorry."

Kagome had managed to patch up Sango's physical wounds, but she would never heal from the emotional damage. She had lost her little brother. She and her friends had returned to Sango's village and buried Kohaku there. Sango thought it was the only proper thing to do. She was still mourning. Now she had nothing left but her revenge. She placed some flowers on top of Kohaku's grave. "I want to kill Naraku now, no more games, no more holding back."

"Trust me, Sango" Inuyasha reassured her. "We'll get Naraku."

"I want to go now!" Sango had such determination.

"But what about your wounds?" Shippo was the only one thinking logically. "You're not well enough to go!"

"There's no talking her out of it," Inuyasha told Shippo. "Besides, his scent is around and out in the open. He's not trying to hide. He's up to something."

"Let's get him. Naraku must be stopped!" Kagome felt bad for Sango, but the young girl Rin plagued her mind. _'Naraku is so interested in her. She's still in danger.' _

"We'll head out in the morning!" Inuyasha cracked his knuckles. "We'll kill him then!"

* * *

In the morning, Sesshoumaru was just watching Rin sleeping peacefully, a little too peacefully. Sure she was always well rested and happy when she slept by him. He had noticed that she oddly enough found comfort in him since the time they had known each other, but she still was somewhat troubled by her actions and probably hated herself for causing him so much trouble. This time, she slept as if everything was alright with the world. _'She doesn't usually sleep this late.' _"Rin"

Koibara slowly opened her eyes and cursed Sesshoumaru in her mind. _'I thought he wouldn't wake me up. I was hoping to stall for more time.'_ "Good morning, Lord Sesshoumaru." She stood up and stretched. "I am ready to continue on our journey, my Lord."

"Rin, has Hikakustu come to you again?"

"No, Lord Sesshoumaru. It feels like the sword you gave me protects me from him. Thank you." _'__This child is disgusting. If Naraku hurries to Hikakustu's resting place and Inuyasha hurries, then I won't have to keep this charade up any longer. I can sense Inuyasha from very far away. He's closer than us. He must be flying; perhaps it's that Hachi person who helped them before. Either way, they'll be to Hikakustu soon. He'll be released by the end of the day.'_

Jaken saw the two of them speaking and grew uneasy. "Aren't you hungry, Rin?" he rather suggested than asked.

She smiled. "Yes I am, Master Jaken. Will you help me find something to eat?"

"No!"

"Go with her, Jaken" Sesshoumaru commanded. _'I need to observe her, keep a closer eye on her.'_

Koibara searched around and found some mushrooms and berries for her to eat. _'Hikakustu will give me much greater things.'_ She tried to stay like Rin as much as possible though, but Sesshoumaru seemed to be onto her, since he wouldn't keep his eyes off of her. _'He must surely know. I've got to do something.'_

Once Rin had eaten her breakfast, Sesshoumaru looked up at the sky. It was bright and sunny, a day that Rin would love, no matter in what mood. The temperature was just right for her body and the scent of flowers surrounded them. There were flowers all around them and Rin didn't go to pick one. The wind began to blow, but it was a cool breeze. It was the perfect condition for her to just start running around and play, but that's what the child would have done. The adult Rin still would be happy and wouldn't be so quiet_. 'She's barely spoken a word at all.'_ They traveled a bit more before he did anything about his suspicions.

Jaken sighed when he saw Sesshoumaru glance at Rin. _'She's going to kill you! Don't fall into her trap my Lord!' _

Sesshoumaru placed his hand on Tokijin and before Rin could take another step, Sesshoumaru had the Tokijin held up in her face. "Don't take another step, or I will strike you down."

"Lord Sesshoumaru, what are you doing?" Jaken questioned. Sure he was a little happy that she was being punished for something, but to kill her might have been extreme.

"Are you blind, Jaken? This girl is not Rin. This is Koibara of the Eouro Clan."

She smiled and closed her eyes. "My, I thought I was doing a good job. I was trying to be annoying as possible. I wonder what gave me away."

_'You didn't sing…'_ It disgusted him that he was able to realize the little things that Rin should have done, but he pushed the thought away. "You really think you could fool me?"

"You do know her extremely well, I must admit. It's very strange indeed. I bet you pay attention to all of her little gestures, since I didn't do anything too out of the ordinary. You must have realized something very minor. You must really care for the girl if you caught that I wasn't her."

"And how exactly did you gain control? If you have possession of the Rikoistu, you should still be in dormant. How is it that you have awakened?"

"I have possession of the Sacred Shikon Jewel, but you didn't notice the tainted jewel shard in my arm. It's keeping me on top and the mortal pest under my feet. Now I can do what Lord Hikakustu commanded me to do. You'll soon be dead, Sesshoumaru, for right now as we speak, your idiotic half breed brother Inuyasha is on his way to release Lord Hikakustu."

_'That fool.'_ "And why would Inuyasha do that? He has no quarrel with Hikakustu."

"You're right, but he does have a quarrel with Naraku and we both know that your little brother is foolish enough to wildly swing his sword until he accidentally breaks your father's seal."

"You think you're so clever don't you? You attempted to fool me long enough for Inuyasha to release Hikakustu, but I will personally make sure that he will never see the light of day again. I can still get to Inuyasha before he does something completely dim-witted."

"But the problem is getting past me." She stepped back from Sesshoumaru and drew her sword. "Can you get past me?" She tried to make the sword transform, but could not. "Why won't it work?"

"The sword was created in order to keep you at bay. Why would you believe that I would allow my fang to strike against me?"

"True." She sheathed her sword. "I suppose this was specifically created to protect Rin and acts out on your will, and your will only. I can't defeat you with it, but I don't really need to. I can defeat you on my own."

"Step aside right now."

_'Will he slay her?'_ Jaken waited for what would happen.

"The only way you're getting by is through me. You'll have to kill me and in order to kill me, you'll have to kill the mortal Rin." Koibara cracked her knuckles and prepared herself for battle. "The only question is Sesshoumaru, can and will you do it?"

TO BE CONTINUED…


	22. Chapter 22: Goodbye, Hello

Chapter 22

I do not own Inuyasha

"Well, if you think you can go through me, then please go ahead and try." Koibara couldn't help but smirk as she looked upon Sesshoumaru, whose expression hadn't changed that much, but Koibara knew him well enough to know that he was upset. "Come now, Sesshoumaru, you shouldn't be upset over something so trivial. I mean, it's only the soul and body of a mortal girl. Why should you care if I have corrupted her?"

"You're right," replied Sesshoumaru which made Jaken surprised and Koibara very amused. "I do not care for the well being of the girl, but I am not about to let a vile Eouro start living and breathing again."

"Are you sure about that, Sesshoumaru? I'm not so sure that you would honestly just kill me for that matter. As a matter of fact, you can't kill me because you cannot allow yourself to kill Rin. You never hurt the girl, never laid a finger on her, even though she too could have her annoying moments, such as Jaken, but Jaken is always the one to be struck, not the girl. You've never touched her and you're not going to kill me now. You don't have what it takes!"

"Are you forgetting about our last battle, Koibara? I will strike you down."

"Wounding me in my arm won't stop me." Koibara began to laugh. "Besides, you hurt me in order to save another mortal girl, remember?"

"I had no intention on saving the girl."

"I do believe you on that one. You just didn't want Rin to live with the horrible guilt. You certainly are sweet." She cracked her knuckles and then stretched her body. "Don't think this'll be so easy." Koibara charged at Sesshoumaru at full speed. He'd hate to admit it, but he was surprised by her strength and speed since she was a half demon, but he wasn't overwhelmed. He was ready for her. She still couldn't compare to him. Before she could claw him, he moved out of the way. "Not bad, Sesshoumaru, I suppose it's only natural for you to increase your power from the time you were a child."

"Naturally."

"Yes, I see, but even though you're much stronger, you're still a puppy compared to your father." She attacked him once again, but his speed proved to be too much for her. "Interesting, I'm not quiet sure how he died. Do you mind going over the tale, Sesshoumaru?"

"Silence!" He decided to try offence and while she charged at him, he got to her first and punched her in the face and knocked her down. She wasn't down and out though. She quickly sprang back up on her feet and wiped the blood away from her mouth.

"You're doing well, Sesshoumaru, but like I said, you're going to have to kill me if you want to keep Hikakustu dormant. You're never going to get to your brother before he releases Hikakustu and when my lord is released, we shall rule these lands again and chaos shall reign."

"Chaos? Hmph. A simple minded fool like Hikakustu wouldn't be able to truly grasp an understanding of power and rule these lands. It doesn't surprise me that simply destroying is your goal." This time, Sesshoumaru charged at Koibara. She was able to dodge his first few assaults, but he did get another punch in and before she could wipe blood from her mouth, she had another blow in her stomach. "You're nothing to me."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing." He drew the Tokijin and it began to glow a bright blue as flashes of electricity shot from it. Koibara could only brace herself for what was about to come.

"Do your worst, Sesshoumaru!" Koibara was about to counter with her own attack, but instead, she decided to use some of her power for a barrier.

"Behold my true power demon. Dragon strike!" Sesshoumaru slashed his sword forward and released his power on to Koibara. As he released it, the aura of the sword surrounded Sesshoumaru like a mighty wind. _'What is the fool doing?'_ He watched her and was surprised to see that she was not going to protect herself by forming a counter attack. She just simply prepared to take whatever was about to happen to her_. 'She's figured me out already. Koibara is as sharp as ever.'_

"Ahhh!" The attack broke through the barrier that she had created and Sesshoumaru's dragon strike began to burn her body, but she wouldn't let herself be completely overwhelmed.

Sesshoumaru placed his Tokijin back onto his sash and waited for Koibara's smoking body to get off of the ground. _'She knew all along.'_

It was a struggle getting up, but she managed to smile when she finally stood. "I wasn't expecting that at first, but it makes complete sense. You really are something, Sesshoumaru. You were hoping I would use energy from my own attack in order to counter yours, but I figured you out. If I use up too much of my demonic power, then I'll become the human girl again, but I'm not giving you that option. I'm not going to hit you with any of my beams, so Rin isn't coming back. You have to kill, or be killed, and trust me when I say; you're going to die, Sesshoumaru!" She suddenly had a burst of energy and jumped right in front of Sesshoumaru. He jumped back but she jumped after him and managed to claw at some of his armor. "You're not invincible, Sesshoumaru. I think it's time you learned that. As long as you keep a pathetic human by your side, you can never truly rule with supreme power. She's too weak to protect herself, so she shouldn't live at all. All weak creatures should perish."

"Then allow me to grant your wish by sending you to the Netherworld."

"As if I'd be killed. You're not going to do it!"

"Do not assume anything about me and my will." He used his light whip and wrapped it around Koibara's arm. She was shocked, but she braced herself as he pulled her closer. Once she had gotten close enough, his light whip disappeared and he grabbed her arm with his hand. "You will not succeed." The flesh began to slowly burn from her arm.

"Are you trying to take the jewel shard out of my arm?" She used her free hand to slash him in his face and she then punched him hard enough for him to loosen his grip a bit on her arm and she took that opportunity to get free and she backed away. "Clever boy."

Sesshoumaru wasn't finished and within a blink of an eye, he reappeared in front of her and clawed her arm. As she yelled, her jewel shard came out, and he made sure to grab it. "You truly are pathetic, girl."

"You're the only whose pathetic! I can transform back, but I'm not going to. I'm going to stay this way forever. I've already awakened and I'll die before I take a hold of your dirty fang!"

_'She will not take a hold of the sword.'_ "Jaken," Sesshoumaru threw the jewel shard to Jaken and it landed right into his hands. "If you lose it, you will die."

"Y-yes my Lord!"

"How strange you are," Koibara pointed out. "Now you wish to become part of the jewel search. You want to make her human again so you won't have to deal with me and so the girl can live happily ever after. It's all very noble of you, but I am not going to let you save her. This body belongs to me now."

_'She's not going to change back and if Hikakustu is released, Koibara will probably always have control. Rin shall cease to exist.'_ Sesshoumaru glanced down at his swords. He thought about the Tenseiga, but drew the Tokijin instead. He knew what he had to do. _'Rin.'_

"Let's finish this, Sesshoumaru. My Lord Hikakustu is waiting for me." Once again, she ran straight towards him. "We both know you don't have the nerve to kill me, so now you must die!"

_"Lord Sesshoumaru!"_ He could remember her, the young girl who had been so kind as to treat his wounds, even though he had told her to go. She was innocent and brave, not something he saw in most humans. She was special.

_'Why does she come to mind?'_ His grip tightened on the Tokijin.

_"We live our lives wandering to the ends of the earth. Believing, now I begin my journey with you, in search of the light. We live out lives wandering to the ends of the earth. Closing off the way back, we walk on for eternity. We live out lives standing frozen to the spot, unable to cry out, for eternity." _He could remember her song and her voice. It wasn't the sweet yet annoying voice of a child, but the lustrous voice of a young woman. He could remember her as an adult. That was what she was. She was an adult now. He knew her more as an adult then as a child. She was a mystery indeed, but still Rin, somewhere.

_'Rin.'_

_"Lord Sesshoumaru, I am cold. Do you think I could…? Well, that boa you keep around you arm, it looks comfortable and you would keep me warm, so could I…lean on you?"_

_"Do as you wish."_

"What does he plan on doing?" Jaken asked himself.

"Goodbye!" Koibara raised her hand into the air, but before she herself could reach her destination, Sesshoumaru reached her first with his superior speed. "What?" He took her by surprise and before she could defend herself, she felt a swift pain enter her lower abdomen and exit through her back. "You wouldn't?" Blood trickled down her mouth, a sign of internal bleeding, but she still didn't quite believe it. She had to look down and actually see the sword, still stuck in her body. "You know…you can't kill me that easily. I'm a half demon, Sesshouma-ah!" She screamed as she felt the sword began to lift slowly, ripping apart her insides, slowly. On instinct, she grabbed a hold of him and began to dig her claws into his back. "You wouldn't."

His eyes were always cold and distant, but readable. This time, they were cold, distant, and so empty…

"You wouldn't. You-ahhhhh!"

"You're killing her?" Jaken yelled. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. _'I thought he loved that foolish mortal.'_

Sesshoumaru showed no sign of pity or remorse and he began to twist the sword, to make sure she would die. Blood began to pour out from her body, and the amount coming from her mouth began to steadily increase. "I thought that you loved her…" She had to make sure what was really going on. "Sesshoumaru?" She stared back into his eyes, confused, and helpless. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" Her eyes returned to their original, human eye color as the transformation back into a human began to take place. "Lord Sesshoumaru?"

_'Rin.'_ He let a hint of bewilderment enter his eyes as they grew wide for but a moment. She was herself again. Rin was aware again.

Rin glanced down at the sword, Lord Sesshoumaru's sword, inside of her body. She began to cry and shake with so much fear. "Did I do something bad?"

The fact that she didn't remember surprised him to. He pulled the sword out of her body and made it stand up, with its blade stuck in the ground. Rin's claws slowly returned to just simply finger nails and Sesshoumaru could feel her nails exit out of his back.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, I'm sorry." Her tears began to run down her cheeks. "Whatever I did, I'm so sorry…" She lost the feeling in her legs and fell onto his chest. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" He held her with his arm so she wouldn't fall. "I'm so scared!" She began to sob as she could feel every shred of her demonic power fading. She was in so much pain and felt so cold. "I didn't mean to, Lord Sesshoumaru." It was becoming so much harder to breathe. She really couldn't at all. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" She lost all feeling and couldn't even hold him anymore. She wanted to be with him forever, and she couldn't even hold on for any longer. She just couldn't. "Why can't I stay?"

He couldn't hear her heart beating any longer, nor could he hear breath. Her warmth was completely gone. Rin was dead.

_'Lord Sesshoumaru slaughtered her.' _

Sesshoumaru slowly sat her pale and cold body on the ground and just watched her for a moment. He knew that she was dead and he needed to leave, but for a brief moment, he couldn't make himself leave. _'Rin.'_ The Tenseiga began to shake violently, not acting on its own accord, but simply by Sesshoumaru's strong desire to bring her back. It was pulsating with almost a rage. _'If I were to resurrect her, Koibara could somehow manage to surface, and I cannot afford for her to slow me down anymore than what she has.'_ The Tenseiga still wouldn't stop pulsing, but he couldn't heed his own desires.

Jaken walked up to his lord and saw him standing over Rin's body. He seemed actually upset. Jaken had never witnessed Sesshoumaru having guilt before. It was very disturbing to him. "Lord Sesshoumaru…you've killed the girl?"

Without even thinking about it, Sesshoumaru unsheathed his sword and struck Jaken. Jaken didn't even have enough time to yell out in pain. Sesshoumaru was a bit disappointed with himself. He shouldn't have been having an outburst of rage. He needed to focus on the task at hand.

Jaken was relieved once he realized that he was still alive. "Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"You're lucky Jaken, but next time, it will be the Tokijin and not the Tenseiga." Sesshoumaru picked up Rin's body and set it on top of Ah-Un. The Tenseiga was still shaking uncontrollably, but he wouldn't heed the call of the sword. He couldn't. _'I must hurry or Hikakustu will be released.' _He placed the Tokijin back on his sash and took off into the air. Jaken quickly grabbed on to Ah-Un's tail before he took off into the air after his master.

_'Lord Sesshoumaru will never speak to me again.'_ Jaken could only hope that his master would forgive him in time.

* * *

"Naraku is up ahead!" Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kirara, and Kagome said their goodbyes to Hachi, who was too afraid to go any further on ahead. They couldn't blame him. The surrounding area was pretty creepy. There were no signs of life in this barren land. There were only signs of death.

"Look at that!" Kagome pointed to giant fang that was sticking out of a giant, demonic hill.

"This was a trap" Inuyasha pointed out. _'That Naraku thinks he's so smart.' _Inuyasha began to sniff the air and could pick up the scent of his brother near by_. 'I smell blood in the air as well. It's Rin's blood.'_ "Come on, we've got to hurry." _'I've got a feeling that there's more trouble besides Naraku, so I had better finish Naraku off before Sesshoumaru shows up.' _"Let's go."

After they journeyed a little bit farther, they spotted Naraku dressed in his baboon fur, standing right in front of the base of the hill with a smirk on his face. "Inuyasha, I knew that you would come."

"Do you really think I'm that stupid, Naraku?" he asked. He drew out the Tetsusaiga, but did not prepare himself for the wind scar. "I am not going to fall for that trick. I know enough about my old man to know that he sealed up whatever you want me to bust out. I'm not falling for it."

"That's too bad." Naraku still was not worried.

"You'll pay for what you did to Kohaku!" Sango held on to her weapon tightly. She wasn't about to let it go for the world. "I swear, I'll kill you! I will avenge my father, brother, my comrades, and my village this day!"

"There's no escape!" Miroku prepared himself for the wind tunnel. "Today you pay, demon."

"Inuyasha." All attention was placed on Sesshoumaru as he gracefully landed onto his feet.

"And what are you doing here?" Ah-Un had not landed yet, but Inuyasha didn't need to see Rin in order to figure out what had just happened. Sesshoumaru had blood on him, only a little of it was his own. The other scent was Rin's. "You didn't! You killed the girl?"

"You did what?" Shippo asked.

"No!" Once Ah-Un landed, Kagome could see Rin's dead body lying on Ah-Un. "Can't you bring her back with the Tenseiga?"

"Silence." He drew Tokijin. "Inuyasha leave this place at once and leave Naraku to me. You have no business being in this land."

"Blah, blah, blah, I don't wanna hear it! Naraku is my enemy and we're going to kill him so back off!"

"Do not use the wind scar."

"I'm not stupid! I know he's up to something. I'm not gonna hit the fang, if that's what you're concerned about, but don't tell me what to do!"

"You're too much of a fool. You'll hit it and release what's inside."

"Back off! I've got a demon to kill." Inuyasha jumped over to the side of Naraku and readied himself. This way, he wouldn't hit the fang. Naraku tilted his body a little bit, so he could keep his secret a secret. "So Lord Sesshoumaru, you killed the girl in order to stop Hikakustu from getting free, but it would seem that it was all in vain." Naraku's smirk became even more so vicious. "I hope Rin still had the jewel shard within her arm when you ended her life. The jewel should look even more beautiful."

"The jewel will be of no use to you, Naraku, for you will die this day."

Kagome looked over to Rin and Jaken. "Jaken has a jewel shard and Rin has one as well. She has the large fragment."

"Then we'll worry about it after I kill Naraku." Inuyasha yelled. "Wind scar!"

"Fool!" Sesshoumaru's sword began to glow a vibrant blue until he released its power on Inuyasha. It was too late to stop his wind scar, but it did make Sesshoumaru feel a little bit better once his dragon strike hit Inuyasha and he yelled out in great pain and was knocked down. _'It was not over yet.'_

Naraku was not afraid of the wind scar. He had been waiting for it to appear. "Now is the time!" Naraku jumped up into the air and landed a few feet backwards, revealing that Kanna was there behind him the whole time, who was also covered by his baboon coat. "Now it is time for all of you to meet your demise!" The wind scar was headed straight for Kanna. Once it was inside her mirror, there was nothing else anyone could do.

Inuyasha was in pain and struggled to get up, but before he could do anything, Sesshoumaru rushed to him and picked Inuyasha up by his neck. "How astonishing you are Inuyasha. No matter how many idiotic mistakes you make, your idiocy never ceases to amaze me." Sesshoumaru was ready to kill and threw his brother down and prepared himself for Hikakustu.

Kanna's mirror began to shine as the wind scar emptied out and began ripping through the ground until it reached its destination. The fang began to disintegrate, until it was completely gone. The land began to cry out and shake as the hill shone a deep red color. "No, Hikakustu is being released!" Jaken yelled.

_'My efforts were in vain.'_ Sesshoumaru took a quick glance over to Rin's body on Ah-Un. _'Rin…'_

Naraku knew that it was time for him to take his leave. He didn't like getting his hands dirty if he didn't need to. "Come now, Kanna." Naraku's body turned into a whirlwind of miasma and began to carry them away.

No one had any intention of letting them leave. Sesshoumaru would use his dragon strike and Sango would use her boomerang. "You cannot escape this time!" Sango was determined, but all attention was taken off of Naraku, once a strong demonic blast came through the peak of the hill, until it was completely gone.

Inuyasha ran over to Kagome in order to protect her, but Sesshoumaru didn't care about protecting anyone anymore, not that he would admit that he protected Rin. He just knew that he had to kill Hikakustu. _'Her soul shall be taken to the underworld if I do not hurry.'_ The Tenseiga was still shaking, but he paid no mind to it. "Reveal yourself, Hikakustu."

In a matter of seconds, his resting place was destroyed. His eyes were shut still, but he stood up, slowly regaining all of his demonic power. Although he was hundreds of years old, he looked only around twenty human years and was very handsome. His hair was jet black and a little past his shoulders. His form was slim, but very muscular, and tall. He had claws like any other demon and mystical markings on his body. One of them was on his forehead. He had markings on his arms and chest, which was bare at the moment. He only had pants and shoes on. He never wore armor because he didn't need to. _'I am awake…'_ He smirked, showing his fangs. "Sesshoumaru…" he opened his eyes and revealed their dark red color. It was as deep as the color of blood. His voice was dark, deep, and tempting. Despite all of his attractive attributes though, anyone who saw him could tell he was dangerous. "It's been a long time."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in on him. "Hikakustu."

To be continued…


	23. Chapter 23: Wounded

Chapter 23

I don't own Inuyasha

"Sesshoumaru, you've grown up." He took a step closer. "The last time I saw you, you were this high." Hikakustu placed one of his hands right under his stomach to demonstrate how small Sesshoumaru used to be. "You're much bigger now, and stronger. I can tell you're a great deal stronger, but not as strong as your father, I bet."

Sesshoumaru knew that last comment to be true, so he didn't really let it bother him that much. One thing he remembered about Hikakustu was that he liked to talk a lot. "Did you have a nice rest?"

"Are you trying to aggravate me with words, Sesshoumaru?" Hikakustu chuckled lightly. "That's very interesting. Before we do fight though, I want you to know that I'm much stronger than you. I suppose the age of truly powerful demons came to an end once your father died."

Sesshoumaru looked a bit surprised.

"I've had a link with Koibara for quite sometime. Not a lot was clear, but I at least know that much. You don't miss information about your arch rival being dead."

"You were hardly a rival. You were a pest."

Hikakustu chuckled yet again. "Before I kill you, I would like to know where Koibara is." Hikakustu couldn't sense or smell her scent. He was the only Eouro present. _'She must be in that mortal form.' _He spotted Rin on Ah-Un and couldn't sense any life within her and knew she was dead. "You've killed Koibara's host?"

Sesshoumaru didn't answer for a while and there was silence. Sesshoumaru tried not to think of how he killed her, especially since it was in vain. He did answer finally. "Is something wrong with your eyes, Eouro?"

Hikakustu's mouth slightly dropped. _'He slaughtered my woman?' "_Curse you dog demon! I'll kill you, Sesshoumaru!" His eyes began to glow furiously red. "I'll destroy you for this!" A pure dark and black aura began to surround Hikakustu. The darkness could be felt by all of them. His evil aura began to surround him and all of them as well.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha was wounded, but he had to save Kagome. He grabbed her and jumped out of the way.

Sesshoumaru was determined to kill Inuyasha now, but at the moment, it was impossible. He had other things to concentrate on. Sesshoumaru was in front of them all. He was the only thing standing in the way of Hikakustu and all of the audience. Sesshoumaru's biggest concern was Rin's body lying on top of Ah-Un. Her body would be completely ripped apart if it was hit by Hikakustu's blast. Then there would be no way to bring her back. Sesshoumaru wasn't sure how large the attack was going to be. There was probably virtually no way to grab Rin and get out of the way in time to avoid the blast. Sesshoumaru would have to hold his ground until the attack subsided._ 'He's using all of his energy at once.' _Sesshoumaru drew the Tenseiga. Whatever Hikakustu was about to do, it was going to be huge and powerful.

"We have to escape here!" Miroku told Inuyasha.

"There's not enough time!" Inuyasha made sure that all his friends were right behind him and he drew his Tetsusaiga. _'I've got to protect Kagome. Whoever this demon is, he's more powerful than any other demon we've faced before.'_

"Die!" Hikakustu's aura was released unto the land and it began to engulf every single person in his way. The Tenseiga put up a barrier around Sesshoumaru and everyone behind him, unintentionally. He was merely only trying to protect Rin, subconsciously. The Tetsusaiga had also put up a barrier, but Hikakustu's anger was great, and it wasn't long until Hikakustu released everything, all of his anger, frustration, and dormant powers forward on Sesshoumaru. "Die Sesshoumaru!"

As a second wave of energy hit, Sesshoumaru felt his grip loosening on the Tenseiga. Sesshoumaru's arm was beginning to be cut up by the blast. If only he would have had two arms to hold on to the sword rather than one, then maybe he could have held his ground longer, but then again, the Tenseiga was beginning to loose its strength as well. Sesshoumaru was unfortunately overpowered.

Once Hikakustu released all that he could, he was weak and tired, but once he saw all of the bodies lying before him, he knew that he had done what he needed to. His true goal was achieved, seeing Sesshoumaru's body lying on the ground, bloodied and motionless. "Good. It seems that I have done what I wanted, dog demon." Hikakustu walked right up to Sesshoumaru and only became angry yet again. _'I can still hear his heart beating.'_ He saw the Tenseiga still in Sesshoumaru's hand. _'That sword is very strange. It has no destructive force and I can smell Sesshoumaru's father on it. It must be a sword created from his fangs, but it does not destroy.'_ Hikakustu could remember a little bit of Rin's knowledge of the sword. After all, they did have a connection. _'This sword can bring the dead back to life?'_ Unfortunately for Hikakustu, the only one of them dead was the one he wanted alive.

"I bet you're still conscious, so I'll say this Sesshoumaru. I had the opportunity to kill you, but I won't, because I am very much aware that you are going to bring her back to life before it's too late. I know that you will, even though you don't want to, because I expect you to. You'll bring her back and then I'll come to claim her." Hikakustu had no need for Inuyasha and all of Inuyasha's friends that were laid out, but he didn't care to kill them. He wasted enough energy already. _'Sesshoumaru, how does it feel to lose again?'_ Hikakustu left quickly, so he could wait for his Koibara to rise up.

Sesshoumaru was awake, but barely though. _'Curse you, Hikakustu!' _Sesshoumaru rose to his feet with the little energy that he had and walked over to Rin's body with the Tenseiga still tightly in his hand. Rin's body was no longer on Ah-Un. Ah-Un too had been over powered by the aftershock of the blast, and so had Jaken and everyone else at the battlefield. Rin's body was just lying on the ground, cold, pale, and still lifeless, but that was about to change. Sesshoumaru concentrated and the messenger's from the netherworld were on her body and ready to take her soul away forever. Sesshoumaru raised his sword and slashed them all apart.

Rin's wound disappeared, meaning that she was coming back to life, so with that reassurance, Sesshoumaru was able to stop fighting his tiredness and his body dropped and he fell flat on his face, unconscious.

Once Rin opened her eyes, everything was in a daze. She was confused at first and didn't really remember what happened, but once she saw all of the destruction laid before her, she remembered how her Lord had killed her. "Lord Sesshoumaru…" She began to sob, remembering his sword in her body. She was so upset that she didn't even realize that he was right in front of her for a while. Once she did though, she gasped. "No! Lord Sesshoumaru!" She reached out to touch him, but it all looked so familiar. The very first dream she had with Hikakustu, she saw Sesshoumaru's body laid out on the ground. His body was severely burned, covered in blood, his clothes were ripped and burned off in several places, and his armor was broken. It was all true now. "No! Don't be dead!" She got the courage to touch his body and realized that he was not dead but was knocked out. She could still feel his pulse. "Lord Sesshoumaru, this is all my fault…"

* * *

"Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Once he opened his eyes again, he was staring into Rin's troubled face. She looked relived at first, but then she suddenly leaped back in fear and got up and left. That was when Sesshoumaru realized that he was in the woods, instead of the barren land he was once in before. He must have been unconscious for a very long time.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken ran over to his master and started to cry. "I am relived to see that you are alright, my Lord!"

Sesshoumaru realized that he was in bandages. Someone tended to his wounds. It was probably Rin. He could smell her scent on him, but she had ran away so frightened. "Jaken, where is Rin?"

"She has been very frightened around you, my Lord. It appears that she is afraid of you."

"Afraid?" It seemed like an odd time to start. Rin had only been afraid of him once and that was because he wanted her to be afraid and leave. She had no reason to be afraid now. Sesshoumaru couldn't see her, due to the thickness of the surrounding trees and bushes. He let it go. She would come back eventually and Sesshoumaru needed to concentrate on healing, rather than on Rin.

"Is he alright?" Kagome asked Rin as she came near the fire.

Rin nodded. "Yes, he just woke up. Thank you for giving me supplies to help him Kagome."

"Don't mention it. Keep the supply I gave you. It seems like you've really needed it lately." Kagome smiled. "Besides, I'm glad you did the patch up job yourself. If Sesshoumaru woke up and I was tending his wounds, I'm sure I'd be dead. Not only that, but Inuyasha's so super jealous, he'd be upset if I did tend to Sesshoumaru."

"I'm awake you know…" Inuyasha opened his eyes. He was lying on his back, but had enough energy to sit up, even though he had to struggle to do it. "What was that?"

Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were up too, but Sango and Miroku were separated from the group. Sango was still upset about Kohaku and Miroku was giving her comfort and didn't have one dirty thought in mind. He was just letting Sango lean on him while he wrapped his arm around her.

"Rin can explain" Kagome told Inuyasha.

"It was Hikakustu. He's a fierce demon and the leader of the Eouro Clan."

"What does he want?" Inuyasha asked.

Rin blushed a little bit. "Well, he wants me." Everyone looked at Rin with awe and almost a sickness. "The demon part of me was already a person, a person named Koibara. She was his lover and…"

"That pervert!" Inuyasha finally blurted out. "Doe he realize you're a little kid?"

"I'm not a little kid!" Rin yelled in frustration. "I'm not a little kid anymore. If I was, I assure you my life wouldn't be so horrid right now. I'm not a little girl anymore!" She blushed harder and calmed down. "Well, it's not that I want him to have me, but I'm not a girl anymore. I have woman feelings and I want you to acknowledge it."

"Well, that can't be all he wants. What else could it be?" Kagome asked her.

Rin shook her head. "How should I know? He could want power, he could want revenge. Now he's free and has enough power to do anything." Her voice grew very quiet. "I still can't believe he beat Lord Sesshoumaru."

Kagome realized that Rin had a sword around her sash. "What's that? That's not one of Sesshoumaru's swords."

Rin glanced at it. "Oh, well this is a sword that Lord Sesshoumaru gave me."

"He gave it to you?" Inuyasha couldn't believe it. "He gave you a sword?"

"Yes. He made it out of his own fang in order to protect me from my demon side."

"It sounds like the Tetsusaiga," commented Kagome. "Sesshoumaru certainly is different from when I first met him. Who would have thought that he'd take in a mortal girl and protect her so much? He even made a sword for you in order to protect you." Kagome noticed that the more she talked about Sesshoumaru and how she was surprised that he treated Rin so good; she noticed that Rin was blushing harder and harder. _'Wait a second, does she like him?' _Kagome thought it was weird, but she still felt sad for Rin. _'If she does, Sesshoumaru would never love her back, at least not in that way. Having a sudden change in age would throw her emotions way out of whack. To everyone else, she's a child, but she wants to be grown up. She is a grown woman now, even older than me, but it's still strange looking at her this way. It's as if she's a totally different person.'_

"So anyway..." Inuyasha had enough talk of Sesshoumaru "...about this Hikakustu...where is he?"

"How would I know?" Rin told him. "I had enough trouble getting you all to safety. You were all injured."

"Sesshoumaru got the worst of it," Kagome said. "I fear we all would have died if Lord Sesshoumaru wouldn't have taken in so much of the blast. He really hurt himself. I know he wasn't really trying to save us, but rather just you, Rin."

"Maybe Jaken and Ah-Un" she muttered. "Anyway, about Hikakustu, please don't go after him. Let it be Lord Sesshoumaru's affair."

"Are you kidding me?" Inuyasha couldn't believe what she was asking. "You must be crazy! I am not letting that freak get away with what he's done. Besides, Sesshoumaru can't take him anyway. Look at what just happened."

Rin was highly offended. "Don't speak about my Lord that way! He probably had a lot on his mind. I mean…" she frowned and didn't want to say the next part. "He did still have to bring me back to life…"

"Which brings us to another question," Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Why did he kill you?"

Rin had a panicked expression on her face and there was such a fright in her eyes. Kagome realized that it was a touchy subject and came to her defense. "If you don't want to say anything, then it's alright."

"No, it's just that I don't know what I did exactly. I know that the demon side of me has managed to take control and she's tried to hurt Lord Sesshoumaru and wanted to release Hikakustu. I don't even remember what Koibara did, but I must have tried to kill him or at least…" It was all starting to make sense. _'Naraku?__ Naraku was the last thing I remember and then he helped Hikakustu get released.' _"Oh no…" She could feel tears beginning to wallow up in her eyes. "Oh my goodness, I…I think I…or rather she made a pact with Naraku!"

"What?"

"The last thing I remember was Naraku attacking me. Koibara must have made some kind of deal and Lord Sesshoumaru had to stop me. He had no choice in order to stop Hikakustu! Now he's released anyway and it's probably all my fault!"

"No," Kagome told her. "It's not your fault. It's the demon inside of you."

"And Naraku," Inuyasha pointed out. "Don't worry about Naraku. I'll handle him. We've been itching for revenge for a long time and with Sango's brother being killed, we have to stop him."

"Then please go after Naraku and don't bring Hikakustu into your concerns. Lord Sesshoumaru is already angry with you all and will kill you."

"Like he could!"

"He will!"

"I agree," Kagome interrupted.

"What?" Inuyasha couldn't believe that she'd take Sesshoumaru's side. "I can defeat him no problem!"

"I'm not saying that he'd win or you'd lose, but I am saying that he's very powerful and will try to honestly kill you and it would go on until one of you was dead, and you've both got way too many responsibilities to just die. I'm just saying, let's keep our distance."

"Maybe you should all leave as soon as you can. I know Lord Sesshoumaru is hurt and can't be moved right now. He'll need a few more hours. I only hope that I can stay in my human form until then. Otherwise, Hikakustu will come back while Sesshoumaru is injured."

"Hikakustu will need time to recuperate." Inuyasha stood up. "Don't worry about Hikakustu right now. By the time Sesshoumaru heals up, Hikakustu will return."

"I suppose…" Rin sighed. "I am going to attend to his wounds once again." She wasn't very excited about it. She was a little frightened to go back to him, but regardless of that fact, she went back to Sesshoumaru. When she returned to his side, he had his eyes closed._ 'I suppose he's sleeping.' _She bent down at his side and touched his left side where she saw his bandages soaked in blood. "Lord Sesshoumaru…"

He grabbed her hand and she nearly screamed. He opened his eyes slowly and saw her frightened eyes. "What are you doing?"

"I…I was just going to change your bandages." When he let go, she was relived, but then she realized that he held her hand, she wasn't afraid anymore. "I uh…I see that you opened your wounds up."

He didn't respond.

"You shouldn't try to move. You took on most of Hikakustu's blast. Just please hold still."

"Inuyasha is here."

"He's close, but you have more wounds than him."

That upset him. Sesshoumaru wanted Inuyasha dead, but Sesshoumaru didn't even have the energy to get up at that moment. _'Curse Hikakustu.' _Sesshoumaru noticed Rin's uneasy expression. He didn't completely understand her. "Hikakustu will die by my hand."

"I know," Rin told him. "That's not what I'm worried about. It's just Koibara. I didn't mean for her to take over my body and cause you so much trouble Lord Sesshoumaru."

He turned his head from her. "I did what I had to."

"I know you did, Lord Sesshoumaru." Rin wiped her tears away. "I just didn't think…" _'I didn't think you could kill me. I thought you even…'_ "Thank you for reviving me, my Lord. I am glad I can still be with you. I wasn't so ready to die."

Sesshoumaru felt weak and tired, no matter how much he didn't want to admit it. He did need to rest and to stay still. He hated that Rin had to take care of him. She tended to his wounds, but he wasn't going to let her do anymore. He still didn't like mortals, but he finally was able to answer the question that he had for her ever since she became a half breed. He definitely liked her better as a human. "I'll destroy Hikakustu and Koibara as well."

"You'll slay me again?"

"I said Koibara, not you."

_'He's going to help me find the Shikon Jewel?'_ She smiled, even though everything was so horrible. "I'm glad you're alright Lord Sesshoumaru."

To be continued…


	24. Chapter 24: Love?

Chapter 24

I don't own Inuyasha

_'Lord Sesshoumaru hasn't spoken a word since we have begun traveling once again.'_ Jaken had become very worried about his Lord. Only a few hours ago, he had been almost killed by Hikakustu. _'Rin hasn't spoken a word either and that is most unusual.'_ Jaken was more disgusted with Rin rather than concerned. He blamed all of his woes on her_. 'Why it's because of that cursed child that we are in this mess now. Hikakustu would be under his seal if it wasn't for that blasted Rin or the cursed Inuyasha. Both of those troublesome half breeds have caused me nothing but Lord Sesshoumaru grief. Now that powerful maniac is on the loose and he is actually stronger than Lord Sesshoumaru! How can he hope to defeat him?'_

When Jaken glanced at Sesshoumaru, he seemed to have the same calm expression on his face as always._ 'He isn't worried though. Perhaps he knows something that I don't.' _During Jaken's time spent with Sesshoumaru, that could be an option, but it probably wasn't in this case_. 'Even if the situation seems hopeless, Lord Sesshoumaru always seems to have things under control. He doesn't let his true concerns show. Surely he is no fool. He knows how powerful Hikakustu is and even knows the horrible truth, that he himself cannot defeat him until he gets some more power. Yet, he still somehow manages to put on a brave face.' _

Rin was a different story. She looked like a mess. She was so overcome with worry and guilt and it rightly showed up on her face. _'It should be her affair, not ours.'_ Rin couldn't be trusted. Sesshoumaru was even hanging onto the Sacred Jewel now. Rin could turn into Koibara at any moment. Jaken was afraid that his Lord could die, so he decided to speak up. "Uh...Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru looked behind him and glared at Jaken.

That scared Jaken. It really wasn't his usual glare. It was much fiercer. Still, Jaken decided to speak. "If I may be so bold to ask my Lord, how do you plan on killing Hikakustu?"

"What other way would there be, Jaken?" Sesshoumaru decided to pay no more attention to Jaken's little questions.

"But if he wants Rin, then..." Jaken was afraid to finish his sentence.

Rin was smart enough to catch on though, even though she didn't want to. She couldn't believe what he was suggesting. "You think that I should just hand myself over?"

The both of them waited for a reaction from Sesshoumaru, but he didn't say a word. He didn't even glare at them.

_'I have caused so much trouble.'_ As soon as that fact entered her mind, she remembered all of the injustices she preformed and felt such grief. How could she go on? She couldn't ask Sesshoumaru to let her stay. No matter how much she wanted to be with Sesshoumaru, she couldn't risk his death. "Perhaps I should go to him."

"Don't be foolish," Sesshoumaru told them.

Rin and Jaken were curious to see his expression, but didn't bother to try and look. He was ahead of them, so they waited for him to say something, but because he took such a long time, Rin asked instead. "Lord Sesshoumaru, I've caused you so much trouble that I-"She stopped talking once she realized that he had stopped walking and looked back at her irritated. Rin feared that he truly did want her gone, because of the cold glare he gave. "Perhaps I should leave."

"No," he instructed. "If you leave, Hikakustu will take you and I have no intention of letting Hikakustu be the victor."

"The victor?" she asked._ 'Is that the only reason why?' _

"You, or rather Koibara is all he desires. I have no intention on giving him what he wants."

"But what about all of the trouble? I mean I haven't been-"

He didn't bother listening to anymore of her reasoning. He was not going to let Hikakustu get the best of him again. If he wanted Rin, then he wasn't going to get her. He wasn't going to let him have another victory. What everyone else thought or wanted was irrelevant. All he wanted to do at the moment was slay Hikakustu and anyone else who would dare get in his way.

_'I wonder where Hikakustu is...'_ Rin thought to herself.

* * *

"Koibara," Hikakustu said under his breath. He was bathing himself in a hot spring that he had found. After sleeping for hundreds of years, he didn't smell too pleasant._ 'That dog managed to kill you, but by the impression I gather from that mortal girl, she had a great deal of feelings for him and he holds so much compassion for her.' _He sighed. _'No matter. I underestimated Sesshoumaru's will and it backfired for a moment, but I knew for a fact that he would revive her. That is the only reason why I kept him alive.'_

Hikakustu wasn't exactly up to full strength, but it was enough. He didn't mean to use up so much of his power on Sesshoumaru, but at least Sesshoumaru paid for what he had done_. 'Sesshoumaru will do anything to achieve his goals, even kill that mortal girl he seems to be fond of, but he won't do anything that would completely destroy her.'_ He found it interesting and realized that Rin was his weakness, but in all honesty, it didn't matter. Hikakustu was much stronger._ 'Now it is time.' _Once Hikakustu had finished bathing and clothing himself, he began searching for Koibara's aura, but could not feel the presence of another Eouro demon. "It would seem that Koibara is still out of my reach. No matter. I'll still confront the human girl."

It sickened Hikakustu to know that his people were gone and he was the only full-blooded Eouro left, but chaos was his true nature. As long as he could destroy, he would be happy. That, and be with Koibara. "My Dark Rose, I shall possess you once again." Hikakustu could sense something in the shadows. "Come forward or I shall destroy you in a moment."

Naraku came out of hiding and revealed himself. "I see that you have regained all of your power, Lord Hikakustu."

"But of course, but who are you exactly?"

"Why, I am the one responsible for your slumber coming to an end. I am the one who had Koibara placed into Rin's body and I assisted Koibara in waking you up."

"If you have come here seeking a thank you, then get out of my sight before I rip you in two. I have no time for a demon like you, half breed."

"So it is true that your senses are heightened above all other demons. Seeing a true Eouro is more fitting than seeing Koibara, a half breed who can't even stay in control of her host."

"And what do you want of me, demon? You certainly haven't come here to speak with me. You've come in attempts to make a deal, obviously."

"No, the deal has already been made. Koibara promised to destroy my enemies. I was to assist her in waking you up and give her the Sacred Shikon Jewel that will grant her the life of a full-fledged demon. I gladly gave her the jewel, since her first promise was to get rid of Lord Sesshoumaru."

"I am Lord Hikakustu, not some servant or mercenary. I do not care what kind of deal you made with Koibara. I am different and I shall kill whoever I please. Sesshoumaru will die because he's in the way and anyone else who'll oppose me." He narrowed his eyes in on Naraku. "And I have no time to play with a demon puppet!" Koibara slashed the puppet into two in mere seconds. "A half breed demon puppet. How insulting? Who does this Naraku think he's dealing with? I shall kill Sesshoumaru, because I wish to."

The mentioning of Sesshoumaru made him think. "He certainly has changed since he was a child. He's not quite as easy to beat up, but it certainly is more fun now. I bet he's angry, just like before."

_"So what are you doing here little boy?" Koibara asked as she saw Sesshoumaru sitting alone by a river. He was just sitting and thinking while he looked at the water falling from above. "I was talking to you!" Koibara was tall, slim, but voluptuous. Her eyes were red and her hair was short, barely touching her shoulders. She wore a form fitting red kimono with high splits at the side. She was beautiful, but evermore, dangerous. "Can you not speak?"_

_Sesshoumaru was a small boy. He was very old in human years, but only looked about ten human years. He was wearing a plane dark blue kimono and his eyes weren't as narrow. His hair was shorter too. It was barely past his shoulders. "What do you want, half breed?"_

_"I am not a half breed!"_

_"You smell like one." _

_She calmed down. "Aren't you the son of Inutashio, the great dog demon?" _

_Sesshoumaru stood up to face her and although she appeared to be strong, he didn't back down. "You should address him by his proper name of Lord Inutashio."_

_"The only Lord I serve is Hikakustu, and a small little kid like you shouldn't be ordering me around. Aren't you supposed to stay in the Western Lands, little one? You could get hurt out here? Why don't you go back and run to daddy."_

_"Don't treat me as a child!"_

_"But you are!" Spoke Hikakustu, who jumped out of a nearby tree. "You are a little boy."_

_"Bow to him" commanded Koibara. "Bow to the greatest of demons."_

_"I don't bow down to inferior Eouros. You're nothing more than murderous demons."_

_"Aren't we all?" asked Hikakustu with a smirk._

_"There's no point to your chaos. That's why you're inferior." _

_"Then prove it!" Without warning, Hikakustu punched Sesshoumaru so fast that Sesshoumaru didn't even realize that he had been hit until he was on the ground, coughing up blood. "How pathetic! Now you bow child? It's too late now. Now you have to die!" Hikakustu kicked Sesshoumaru in his face and then stomped on top of his back. "What a weak boy you are!" He grabbed Sesshoumaru by his hair and raised him up, above the ground. "Time to die!" He then threw Sesshoumaru and blasted him and found pleasure in Sesshoumaru's agonizing yell. _

_"Why didn't you kill him?" Koibara asked once she saw that the attack only left him barely alive. Sesshoumaru's badly burned body was twitching on the ground. "What a pest! Too bad he has to die. He's such a cute kid." _

_Sesshoumaru was hurt, but he got up slowly. He was too determined to fail. "I will not be defeated…" _

_"Really?" Hikakustu walked over to Sesshoumaru and picked him up by his head again. "Weak little fool…" He shoved Sesshoumaru's head in the river and began drowning him with a sadistic pleasure. "There's something about killing dog demons that makes me so happy!" Once Sesshoumaru stopped struggling, Hikakustu raised his body up so he could make sure he was dead. "What a little bother!" _

_Sesshoumaru opened his eyes. "Don't insult me!" He slashed Hikakustu in his face and poison began to burn in his face, but not much._

"You little worm!" Hikakustu threw Sesshoumaru several feet and he was hurt by how hard he had landed. "You're starting to really annoy me."

"Look up ahead!" Koibara instructed.

_Hikakustu grunted once he saw who it was. It was a ball of white energy and he just knew who it was. "Well, if it isn't Inutashio." _

_Once Inutashio landed, the ball of light disappeared and he took his form. _

_"Father…" _

_He looked down at his son who could barely move. He was at the brink of death. "Sesshoumaru?" _

_"I was hoping that I'd get to see you" Hikakustu stated. "I've been waiting to kill you, Inutashio." _

_Inutashio didn't acknowledge them at all. "Can you stand, Sesshoumaru?"_

_"I think so…" Sesshoumaru had a hard time doing that, but once he did, he found out how little energy he had. He stumbled over to his father until he was behind him. _

_"Hiding behind your daddy?" Koibara asked. _

_"More like avoiding his attacks," Sesshoumaru said. _

_Right then at that moment, Inutashio drew his sword Sounga and a black aura shaped like a dragon began to come out of the sword. "Stay behind me, Sesshoumaru."_

_"Yes father…" Sesshoumaru hated that his father had to save him, but seeing Hikakustu die would make him happy enough to outweigh his shame._

_"Behold." Inutashio held his sword up in the air and began twirling the sword until a ball of pink energy appeared, that was surrounded by the dark dragon aura. "Dragon Twister!" He slashed the sword forward and the attack was unleashed at the two Eouro demons. _

_"Koibara!" Hikakustu took a hold of Koibara and retreated, knowing that she would be ripped apart with her new condition. _

"I retreated that day and I have never run from battle except for that day. I shall kill you Sesshoumaru. You shall take the pain that I was going to inflict on your father."

* * *

"Oh no!" Rin screamed. "It's happening again!" Jaken ran closer to Sesshoumaru, while Sesshoumaru just turned to watch the transformation. Rin was so frightened. Rin took her sword off of her sash and held on to it tightly. _'I don't want to lose control and forget who I am. I…I don't want to forget Lord Sesshoumaru!'_ "I'm scared Lord Sesshoumaru! I don't want to change!"

There was nothing he could do. Rin had the sword. That was all she needed and all he could give her.

Rin was so scared, she was on the brink of tears, but though she felt the burning sensation of the tears, she wasn't losing control. Once she opened her eyes, she could see better. "Have I changed?"

"Of course you have!" Jaken yelled. "Your appearance is completely different."

She sighed and placed the sword back on her sash. "The sword has protected me." She was so relieved! She wasn't insane like how she thought she would be. "I am glad…" she smiled. "I am me and only me." She spun around. She was so happy. "I'm not Koibara! I'm not Koibara! I am Rin! I am me!" She was suddenly happy again. "This is so wonderful."

Jaken would have been relieved, but he didn't trust her. He practically hated her.

Rin's excitement ended once she realized that she was hungry. "I'm starving." She bit her lip and looked so innocent. "I'll be back in a little bit my Lord." Just as she was leaving, Sesshoumaru reached out to touch her and grabbed a hold of one of her wrists.

"Rin…"

She was startled at first but then realize that he was holding her again. _'Lord Sesshoumaru…'_ She slightly blushed and forgot about her stomach. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what is it?"

"Hikakustu will be looking for you and I wish to confront him once he actually does find you. Otherwise, he'll simply take you and won't face me."

"Oh, I see…" He let go of her arm and she held on tight to it with her hand that had not been touched. "Will you accompany me, then my Lord? I will not be afraid if you are to join me."

He hesitated for a moment. He didn't really want to, but she needed to eat and she didn't need to be alone. "Jaken…" Sesshoumaru took off his broken armor and gave it to Jaken. "Go get this repaired and hurry up about it." Jaken caught it once Sesshoumaru threw it. "Hurry with Ah-Un."

Jaken didn't want to leave Sesshoumaru alone with Rin, but he wasn't going to disobey Sesshoumaru's orders. "Very well my Lord. I shall do as you ask." He grabbed a hold of Ah-Un's reigns and awkwardly climbed on top of him. "I shall hurry my Lord!"

As Jaken flew off, Rin couldn't help but be happy. She hadn't really been alone with Sesshoumaru too often. "Will you accompany me?"

"Until Hikakustu reveals himself, I have nothing more to do, Rin. He is my goal at the moment. He is the one I am going to slay."

Rin smiled brightly. "I think I can smell the scent of berries. Let's go my Lord!"

* * *

"I can smell her scent…" Hikakustu was smiling. "Koibara has returned. I can smell her wonderful scent." He smiled. "Now, I'll have her. She's mine and Sesshoumaru cannot get in my way. I'll kill him." He could sense her and he could smell her. He was going to find her and she was going to be his. "Koibara, this is what we've been working for."

* * *

_'I know I'm in such a dangerous situation, but I feel so calm and happy that Lord Sesshoumaru is with me right now. I don't think I've ever felt this way before.'_ Rin spotted some mushrooms and berries and had eaten all that she could. She really was hungry, but she ate enough to hold her over. She didn't have a lot of time to catch fish or anything like that. She just ate what she could and relaxed._ 'Everything is somehow, suddenly better!' _Rin allowed herself to fall on her back and she smiled. _'Life has been so cruel to me, but when I'm with Lord Sesshoumaru, I am grateful.'_

Sesshoumaru sat down near her. He didn't understand her joy and didn't question it either. She was an odd girl. That was all the explanation he needed.

Rin began humming the song she had made up when she first became a woman. She loved the tune. She thought it was so pretty.

Sesshoumaru realized that it was the exact same song that she had sung before. She was so happy singing it now and she hoped that Sesshoumaru liked it. She was proud of her adult voice. She loved it. Even Sesshoumaru thought that it was much more tolerable than her other voice. It was almost…calming. _'She is so calm, even though Koibara is within her and Hikakustu seeks her out.' _

"Lord Sesshoumaru…" She smiled. "Thank you for allowing me to stay. I wouldn't have liked being alone…"

He thought it was strange. "Then why did you suggest it?"

She thought it was a silly question with a simple answer. "I didn't wish to cause you pain, my Lord. I've caused so much trouble for you and I suppose when you care for someone, you learn to do what is best for them rather than what you want to do."

_'Care?'_ he questioned in his mind.

Rin hadn't even noticed what she said until a few seconds after. She sat her body up and covered her mouth in pure shock and embarrassment. "No!" She screamed with her mouth still covered. She began to lightly cry. She was so embarrassed. Her face turned so red, even her pointy ears were burning. _'What have I done?' _She wiped her tears and uncovered her mouth. She was still red, but she needed to know Sesshoumaru's reaction. He couldn't have missed it.

He had an awkward look on his face. He was aware that she said it, but he was questioning its meaning. It shouldn't have really bothered him. She obviously cared in some manner, since she traveled with him and tended to his wounds, but the way she said it was unnerving. She had to have meant more than what she simply said.

"I…" Rin came to realize something about herself right there and then. She realized a truth that she couldn't deny. There was no way to explain herself except for the truth. Sesshoumaru would figure it out and probably not acknowledge it. She would rather tell him and force him into saying something. She needed to know how he felt. Did it bother him? Did her feelings disgust him? "Lord Sesshoumaru…" she said quietly. "I love you…" She wouldn't look him in the eye. She was too frightened to look at him.

_'Love?'_ He was at the moment speechless. Her saying it was odd and he was a bit baffled. The thought of him loving a mortal was disgusting and the way she waited for a reaction was unnatural. Did she expect that he loved her back? What was she waiting for? How could he respond to such a thing?

She began to shake with regret. "Lord Sesshoumaru I-"

"Quiet Rin" Sesshoumaru commanded. He stood up and drew Tokijin. Luckily, their guest had stopped by and saved Sesshoumaru from that moment of human emotions.

Rin thought she was annoying him, but then she realized that something was approaching. "It's him, isn't it?"

"It is Rin." Sesshoumaru knew he was far, but knew he was coming, and fast. He would be there in a matter of minutes.

"Lord Sesshoumaru…I don't want him to…"

"Whatever you do Rin, do not lose your sword."

Rin nodded her head. She felt so awful now. She just revealed her secret, a secret that she herself wasn't even sure of. He probably thought she was revolting. _'What was I thinking? He could never love someone like me. I'm nothing more than a sick human._' She felt like crying. "Lord Sesshoumaru…"

Sesshoumaru blocked her words out of his mind. He had to. Hikakustu was coming and he was coming for Rin and he wasn't going to let Hikakustu win, not ever again.

To be continued…


	25. Chapter 25: Koibara's Return

Chapter 25

I don't own Inuyasha

Rin was still shaking from the words she had just spoken. If she was about to die, she at least wanted to know did he find her disgusting. She suspected that he did, but what if he didn't? It would bring her such an utmost joy if he really did care about her someway. _'It was too soon…or maybe I shouldn't have spoken at all.' _She was so confused. She didn't know what to do at all. Was it a bad thing that she spoke those words to him? It must have been. She was glad to finally get it off of her chest, but him not saying anything made her feel so lonely, lonelier than what she had ever been. "Lord Sesshoumaru…I-"

"Rin now isn't the time," he said to her impatiently.

He really didn't want to speak of it. He obviously had nothing to say about it. _'I shouldn't have said anything at all. After all, I've only been an adult for a little while. To me, I'm grown up, but to everyone else, I'm just a disgusting and bothersome human girl. Now I've got this cursed demon blood in my veins. Now I can never be normal and I'll always be nothing more than an insect in his eyes.'_ She struggled so hard not to cry. _'I'm such a fool…'_

Sesshoumaru tried not to think of Rin and her confession at all. He tried to block it out, but it was just so abnormal. How could she think that? What did she think he thought? Didn't she realize that she's really just a mortal? Didn't she know that he despised them above all creatures?

Regardless of what she had just confessed, he couldn't think on the matter any more. He had to focus on Hikakustu and the battle about to occur. He was not the foe to be taken lightly.

"Oh Sesshoumaru..." came his voice far off into the distance. Sesshoumaru could tell that the foe was smirking, just by the sound in his voice. Hikakustu was confident and that disgusted Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru wasn't going to let him just win. "Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru looked overhead to see Hikakustu in the air. He made a quick landing on his feet and readied himself to obliterate everything in his path. "Hikakustu..."

"Sesshoumaru..." Hikakustu saw Rin behind Sesshoumaru shaking in fear, but she wasn't the mortal he had seen from before. She was transformed with Koibara's strength. "Koibara, you've returned."

Rin backed away a little bit, so frightened. "Lord Sesshoumaru..."

"Stay back, Rin."

"Are you attempting to protect her?" Hikakustu asked with shock in his voice. "She's nothing but a half breed. Why are you protecting her? She has no value to you and all the value in the world to me. Step aside and I promise I'll only leave you a bloody and broken mess with at least an inch of your life left. If you do not step aside, I will be forced to destroy you very slowly and this will be your last day of life."

"I believe it's time for you to sleep once more, Hikakustu."

He laughed a bit again. "I'm aware that you're not a child anymore and you're much stronger. I can tell you are, but you are still no match for me, Sesshoumaru. No one is a match for me. You're going to fail and you're going to die."

"Leave me alone!" Rin yelled. "I don't want to be with you!"

Hikakustu glared at Sesshoumaru once he heard Rin's confession. "She doesn't want to be with me? My precious Koibara doesn't even want me. What have you done dog? What have you done?"

"You're a worthless Eouro. Even Koibara spits in your face. How pathetic?"

"I do not wish to hear your tongue. You have no idea what we've been through."

"It's interesting that you assume that I'd care."

"But she does…" Hikakustu smiled. "The girl wonders, so I shall tell you. Koibara was a full demon. That's the way she was born. That's how she's supposed to be. We Eouros are the most powerful demons and she was mine. We were feared though. We were feared by so many other demons that they joined together in attempts to destroy our entire race. I didn't care much for my brethren, but Koibara was a different story. No one was to touch her. She could take care of herself anyway, until the day that Toashiki took her and changed her into some sort of half breed. She conducted some sort of spell and took away some of her demonic aura and stored it away in her collection or something. She had no scent of human on her, but everyone called her a half breed because something was missing. She wasn't completely demon. Half of her strength was gone and she was no longer able to defeat endless amounts of foes like before. She had to be careful and one day, she was slain by thousands of demons. Then, I was the only one left and your trenches father placed me under a seal. Why? Your father was protecting you from me. Now he's not here." He smirked. "Now who's going to save you?"

_'Lord Sesshoumaru was defeated by Hikakustu?' _

"If you truly believe that you are stronger than me and can defeat me, then why am I still alive?" A flash of electricity began to surround his sword. "Dragon Strike!" A blue wave was shot right at Hikakustu, but he held his ground. It knocked him back a little bit, but Hikakustu was unscathed.

"I suppose that's the best you can do?"

"If you truly believe that, then you are a fool."

"Then let's get serious."

Sesshoumaru ran to Hikakustu and began swinging his sword at the demon. Hikakustu was fast, perhaps faster than Sesshoumaru, but not by that much. He was just fast enough to dodge all of Sesshoumaru's attacks and took the ones he knew he could take. He was just toying with Sesshoumaru.

"I am the most powerful demon in the world, Sesshoumaru. Nothing can stand against me, not even the son of the demon that put me in what was meant to be an eternal sleep. You're nothing!" He punched Sesshoumaru in the face and knocked him back and off his feet.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin yelled.

Sesshoumaru flipped while in the air and gracefully landed on his feet. He wasn't done yet. "Curse him," he said under his breath. Sesshoumaru wasn't accustomed to losing. He couldn't just let that happen.

"Lord Sesshoumaru…" Rin ran to his side, but he wasn't that hurt.

He sternly said to her "I told you to get back Rin."

She backed away in obedience. _'If I don't do something then…'_ she frowned. _'What should I do?'_ She couldn't interfere. He wouldn't forgive her if she did.

"Now Hikakustu, you die." Sesshoumaru tried his Dragon Strike again, and this time, it was stronger and Hikakustu was having a very hard time keeping his footing.

_'I didn't know he was this much stronger. He might be a problem after all.'_ Hikakustu didn't want to, but he called upon his power and blasted Sesshoumaru with his aura. Before it got to Sesshoumaru, it met with the Dragon Strike, but it wasn't strong enough to stop Hikakustu's aura and Sesshoumaru's attack dissipated. Sesshoumaru was hit once again and knocked back and fell to the ground.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" she saw that he wasn't getting up at first. At first, he wasn't even moving. "No!"

_'I used up quite a bit of my energy. I have underestimated Sesshoumaru a little bit.' _He still smirked. _'I still defeated him, once again.'_ "Oh Rin…"

Rin backed away, frightened. "No! Stay away from me! I don't want to do anything with you!"

He kept stepping closer. "Why don't you remember me? Koibara should be aware and able to know me and remember me and me alone. You, I can see the love in you eyes for that dog, but he could never accept something like you. He would never."

She didn't want to hear it, even though she knew it to be true. "You only want the demon in me."

"True Rin. That is very true. I intend on transforming you, whatever way I can. Now, I need you to release Koibara, and if you don't I'll make you. He grabbed her shoulders and tightened his grip on her. "If you don't then I will force her. Now what has that dog done to make you this way?"

"Let me go!" she yelled. Her panic did cease once she saw Sesshoumaru getting up and smiled.

"Koibara!"

"Koibara is gone!" Sesshoumaru hit Hikakustu with his Dragon Strike and it was powerful enough to knock him away from Rin and back a far distance from her.

"Lord Sesshoumaru…" She said. "What should we do?"

"You are going to stay out of my way and I am going to slay Hikakustu."

Rin knew he wasn't up to his complete full strength and probably shouldn't have been fighting Hikakustu at that moment, but what could she do? "Good luck, my Lord."

How disgusting! Sesshoumaru was a bit distracted by her eyes. There was so much affection for him in them. How come he hadn't seen it earlier? Nevertheless, Hikakustu wasn't going to attain his objective, so Sesshoumaru did his best to keep his mind off of her and he did his best not to let his distraction show. If he did, then Hikakustu would take advantage of him.

Hikakustu ran back to Sesshoumaru with full speed and his eyes filled with rage and frustration. "Stay out of my way, dog!" He tried to claw at Sesshoumaru, but Sesshoumaru dodged him. "Koibara is mine!"

"Koibara is not my concern" he told Hikakustu. "Destroying you is."

"Then won't it be funny when you turn up dead, instead of me?" Hikakustu blasted at Sesshoumaru, but Sesshoumaru dodged it.

"Nice work, my Lord!" yelled Rin.

This angered Hikakustu so much. "You!" he yelled and pointed at Sesshoumaru. "You turned her against me! You turned her against her master!"

"I've done nothing. No one wishes to serve a fool!"

Hikakustu grunted and tried blasting Sesshoumaru again, but he fast was enough to dodge it. _'No! It would appear that neither of us is up to full strength. I am not as fast as I usually am and all he seems to be doing is avoiding.'_ Hikakustu glanced over to Rin. _'This mortal...It would seem that he cares for her, but he seems to be denying it. I wonder...' "_If I can't have Koibara, then I won't allow you to have Rin!" Hikakustu stretched his hand out towards Rin and his hand began glowing a bright red. He gathered up most of his energy and shot it straight out towards her.

Rin didn't even have enough time to scream. She was in such a state of shock.

Sesshoumaru was surprised, but fast enough to act. He ran straight for Rin and dropped the Tokijin and drew the Tenseiga at the last possible second. Still, Hikakustu acted too fast that Sesshoumaru could barely protect himself and her.

"Curse you!" Hikakustu drew out some more of his power, and made the blast as powerful as earlier when he first escaped his prison. In a matter of seconds, Sesshoumaru lost his footing and the both of them were knocked down. "Good." Hikakustu's attack subsided and revealed Sesshoumaru's smoking body on top of Rin's. "That was a dirty trick, but I'll do anything to win a battle, including using your disadvantages against you, Sesshoumaru."

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin opened her eyes and saw him hurt again. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" She began to cry, knowing that this was all her fault. _'You didn't even have enough time to get back to full strength. Now you're hurt again.'_ It didn't even look like he was breathing and before she could check his pulse, Hikakustu grabbed her by her arm and lifted her up.

"Koibara..."

"Let me go!" She was kicking and screaming. "He's hurt!"

"He's dead."

"No! I don't believe you!" She struggled to get away from him but he was too powerful. "Let me go! He needs me!"

"I think he's had enough of you, girl. You've already cost him his own life." He threw her over his shoulders. "Let's be off now. We've got to awaken the real you." He carried her away, until Sesshoumaru was out of their sight.

"I am the real me! She's the invader! This is my body! This is my life, and I want nothing to do with you!" She placed her hands on his back and blasted him as much as she could, but she barely did anything. He did loosen her grip though, and she freed herself. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" She attempted to run back to him, but Hikakustu grabbed her arm.

"You don't want to go back to him. You're mine now."

"No I am not!" She began kicking and scratching, anything to escape him, but she couldn't free herself. He was too strong. "Please let me go! I..."

"You love that demon?"

She nodded slowly. "Please...I need him."

He let go of her arm, but grabbed her neck with one hand instead and lifted her off of the ground. "Why? Why is Rin still in charge of this body? Koibara, you must come out. Come out now."

Rin started scratching his hand and arm, but he wouldn't let go. _'Help!'_

"Koibara, come out now." _'There must be something keeping Koibara at bay. What's different than all of the other times I've contacted Rin?' _Hikakustu was a smart demon. It only took him a few moments to realize that it was the sword. "I'll be taking this." He used his free hand to take the sword away and dropped her. "It's this, isn't it?"

Rin panicked and snapped. "Give that to me!" She jumped on top of Hikakustu's back and tried to choke him. "Give it to me!" That was the only thing that was keeping her Rin. If she lost it, then she would not only lose herself, but she would lose her Lord. "Give it to me! Give it to me now!"

"This is what keeps us apart." He smirked and snapped the sword into two, as if it were a toothpick. "Now you can wake up."

Rin's mouth dropped and so did her will. She let go of him and dropped to her knees. "No...How could you do that to me? Now I'm..." She grabbed a hold of her head and began screaming for her life. She was losing it. Everything was fading. Rin was gone.

"Koibara?"

The screaming stopped and Rin raised her head and a smirk came on her face. "Hikakustu." She stood up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hikakustu...it's been such a long time."

"I'm aware." He caressed her cheek with his fingers so gently. "And now we're back and ready to take this world for our own, just like it used to be."

"With the Shikon Jewel, I can become a full demon again." She smiled as he leaned in closer to kiss her. "This is all I've wanted for so long..." Their lips met and they embraced each other, just like how they longed to do.

"Koibara, it will only take a moment to..." He grunted. "I sense him. He's not dead after all."

"You underestimated the dog general's son. I'll be back with the jewel," she told Hikakustu. "It'll only take a moment to take it from Sesshoumaru." She laughed a little bit. "He's weakened and won't be able to defeat me."

**To be continued... **


	26. Chapter 26: Torn

Chapter 26

I do not own Inuyasha

"Sesshoumaru?" she asked, doubling back to see him. When she spotted him, his clothes were tattered and his body was wounded. She assumed that he didn't know that she was Koibara, and that worked out fine for her. "Are you alright, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"Do you think I'm a fool, Koibara?" Sesshoumaru asked her, with Tokijin in his hand. "Honestly, why would you assume that I would believe you still to be Rin, with your sword gone?" He stretched his sword out forward. "Have you come for the jewel in order to become full demon?"

"You have no interest in the jewel. You're so powerful that you don't require it. Why don't you just give it to me? Then Hikakustu and I will go about our own business."

"I thought I told you that I didn't intend on letting Hikakustu be the victor."

"In other words, you'll drop dead before you let him have me. That much can be arranged, Sesshoumaru. I'm sure by now you realize that Lord Hikakustu is much stronger than you. Right now you're too weakened to even fight me. I'll be the one to take the Shikon Jewel from you."

"So Hikakustu is sending his woman to do his dirty work? How pathetic?"

"You talk big words for someone who's half dead."

"And you speak big words for someone who's only a half demon."

That struck a nerve with her and she was instantly angered. "Don't worry Sesshoumaru, because I'll have the jewel and you'll be killed." She charged at Sesshoumaru, but he still had enough time to dodge and did so. He was still a little faster than her, even with all of his wounds. She did eventually gain the upper hand though and managed to claw his shoulder. "I guess I'm better than you thought."

"No, you're still pathetic," he told her. "When you were just a vicious demon and wasn't aware, you fought better. You're not even meeting up to my expectations, Koibara."

She let out a scream of frustration and promised to kill him, but when she charged at him again, she couldn't really touch him. She was making a few blows, but it wasn't any thing that could fatally wound him. _'Interesting,' _he thought. _'Koibara is faster and a stronger than this, even as a half demon. When neither Koibara nor Rin were aware, she fought extremely better, and now she can't make a finishing blow. Perhaps Rin is still aware, and is slowing her movement. She's fighting Koibara.' _"You had best give up."

"You had best fight to kill," though she was losing, she knew she could still pick with him. "I know you're not afraid to kill Rin, so what's stopping you? Why aren't you going to make the finishing blow? You could always bring Rin back, but then again, I'd just appear again since her precious sword is gone. I guess there's no way to actually get the girl back now." A smirk came to her beautiful face. "I'm all that's left and Rin's never coming back."

"What's taking so long?" asked Hikakustu from behind. "That dog isn't dead yet?"

"It will be done."

Hikakustu was pleased to hear her so loyal. He thought he'd have a problem, since he found out that Rin was in love with Sesshoumaru. Hikakustu expected that Sesshoumaru felt the same way, but then he killed her. But oddly enough, he brought her back. Sesshoumaru was unpredictable. "It's futile to resist. Just give us the jewel now, or I'll just have to kill you." Hikakustu's arm managed to slither around Koibara's waist and he pulled her closely. "Rin is gone; she's never coming back, so just give up." He stretched his hand out and smirked. "One more blow."

"Stop," Koibara told him. "You don't have the energy and this is my fight!" She took his arm and forced it off of her, angrily. "Do not interfere. Sesshoumaru is mine to kill and I swear I will succeed. I will win this battle and no one can stop me!"

Hikakustu was a bit irritated by her answer. "Why bother proving yourself? Sesshoumaru might possibly be stronger than you as a half demon. Wait until you are a full demon, then you can crush him."

"I'll destroy him now, Hikakustu. You have other matters to attend to. I can kill a half dead dog myself!"

He didn't want to leave her, but he really did need to go. "You're right. I've got a pressing matter to attend to." The thought made Hikakustu smirk. "Sesshoumaru, if only you could live to see it. I'm almost tempted to let you. You see, after I possess the jewel, I am going to go resurrect my fellow Eouro's and we'll rule this world. The first thing to go will be your comrades of the Western lands."

"You're not smart enough for pure domination, Hikakustu. You crave pure chaos."

"If I choose that, then that is how the world shall be. I shall do as I wish, with Koibara." He had nothing more to say,and jumped up in the air. Sesshoumaru lost sight of him. Sesshoumaru was certain Hikakustu couldn't fly though. He just jumped far and with a great speed.

"I suppose we should finish this," Koibara told Sesshoumaru. "I do have the power to kill you."

"You fought better when you were unaware of your actions, yet still a demon. You should be stronger than this and yet you are doing worse than what I anticipated."

"Are you saying that you wish for me to kill you?"

"I'm saying that the only one of us incapable of killing someone is you. You are somehow affected by Rin's actions, just as she was affected by yours. You are trying to keep in control and you are, but still you haven't even tried to hit a vital point."

"I…I…" Koibara started walking towards Sesshoumaru and though she did want to hit him, to strike him, to kill him, she honestly truly was unable to. Part of her; saw an annoying little boy that had grown up to be too big of a nuisance. Another part of her though, saw something else. It was her protector, someone who she admired. It was her friend and someone that she actually had grown to love. "I am being affected by Rin, just as I was affecting her, and now…now I can't help myself." She got so close to him, so close that she could feel the warmth of his body, without actually making skin contact. She couldn't help but think about how his lips would taste like, and despite the fact that he was nearly 1000 years old, she doubted that he had given anyone the pleasure as of yet. "I can't hurt you. I don't want to. The girl, she…she…"

"I'm aware of the girl's feelings," he interrupted, rather rudely. "And what now?"

"I don't know what I want. I just know that Hikakustu is too powerful for you. If you try and defeat him, then you'll be killed. I…I'm not sure if I can bare it. Just back away from fighting him."

Oddly enough, he huffed out a short lived laugh. "My father's fang will once again cause his downfall. Before tomorrow's sunset, this will be over." Sesshoumaru left her alone, since it was clear that neither of them were going to fight. Sesshoumaru was planning something and Koibara could just tell that he was either planning one of two things. Either Sesshoumaru was going to manage to kill Hikakustu, or he was going to die trying. And at that moment, it seemed like one was more likely than the other.

_'What are you going do?'_ She was frightened for Sesshoumaru and it was all Rin's fault! _'The only fang he possesses cannot cut. How could he ever hope to defeat Hikakustu with that?'_

She couldn't go back to Hikakustu without the jewel. He might suspect something. _'I must find out what Sesshoumaru plans to do.'_ There was only one place that she knew she could go to find out the truth.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken landed with Ah-Un once he spotted Sesshoumaru resting with his back against a tree. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken saw that he was hurt and began to panic. "What happened my Lord? Did you fight Hikakustu?"

Sesshoumaru picked up a rather large stone and threw it at Jaken. "Did you do what I told you, Jaken?"

Once Jaken recovered, he handed Sesshoumaru his armor. "Yes, my Lord. I have had it repaired and it's even better than before, my Lord!"

Sesshoumaru didn't even bother putting it on at the moment. He decided to rest up a bit. He had decided that he wouldn't lose another battle to Hikakustu. He would defeat Hikakustu, no matter what.

"Lord Sesshoumaru…" Jaken was afraid to ask. "Uh…where is Rin?" Sesshoumaru found a bigger stone and threw it at Jaken, right in the head. This time, Jaken wasn't going to get up for a while. He was too busy lying on the ground, foaming at the mouth.

_'It will end tomorrow.'_

* * *

"Toutousai?" Koibara entered into his home to find that he was napping on the cold, damp ground. She couldn't understand how someone could live in that environment, but she reminded herself that wasn't the reason why she decided to see Toutousai. She needed to see him because of more important matters. "Toutousai?" She knocked him upside his head and he quickly woke up.

"Whose there?" He opened his eyes and saw her, but didn't know who she was. "Who are you?"

"I suppose I don't look like how you remember me to be, but you know what I am, don't you?"

Toutousai looked at her closely, and was able to figure it out. "Ahhh! You're an Eouro!" He backed away. "You're supposed to be extinct!" Toutousai could remember Myouga talking about a girl who traveled with Sesshoumaru. Naraku had managed to turn her into a half demon and she was half Eouro. "So you're the person I made the sword for?" he asked.

She nodded slightly. "I'm not exactly her though. It did a good job keeping me in, but I've escaped from my prison and now Koibara of the Eoura Clan is free."

"Koibara?" he stroked his beard. "Koibara the half demon?" He went into another panic. "Ahhh! You mean Hikakustu's girl?"

"Don't worry" she told him. "I not going to kill you Toutousai, although I remember well the allegiance you had to The Great Dog Demon. I am not here on my own business, but rather Rin's."

"The girl?" he questioned. "What do you want to know?"

"Sesshoumaru said that he wanted to destroy Hikakustu with the fang he possesses. I know good and well that Sesshoumaru's sword cannot kill, so how does he hope to destroy Hikakustu with the Tensiega?"

"An interesting question," responded Toutousai. "Do you hope to stop him?"

"No," Koibara told him. "I'm not interested in stopping Sesshoumaru. I…I don't care which one of them dies. I just know that one of them will."

"Hmm…in order to make the Tenseiga kill is not an easy task. Its purpose is to save lives. To kill one might be impossible. There is only one way that I can think of, but I can't say it's been done."

Koibara waited anxiously to find out whether or not there was a way. She was torn at the moment and she meant what she said. She didn't care which one of them died.

"The Tenseiga will have to draw on another life force in order to turn it into a weapon of destruction."

"Are you saying that Sesshoumaru will die in order to kill Hikakustu?"

"If it takes that much of his life in order to destroy Hikakustu." Toutousai scratched his head. "Then again, it may be impossible. Can't say that anyone's tested it out."

_'But if he can, then they'll both die…' _

**To Be Continued… **


	27. Chapter 27: Complications

Chapter 27

I do not own Inuyasha

As Koibara walked down a beaten path, she was unsure of what was about to occur or rather, what should occur. If Sesshoumaru was to succeed, then both Sesshoumaru and Hikakustu would die. If Sesshoumaru failed, then he would die and Hikakustu would win. Koibara would go with him and then all would be well_. 'Would it?' _She shook her head. She shouldn't think of such things. _'Of course all will be well if I go with my Lord Hikakustu. He is my master.'_

Even with that said, she still thought of Sesshoumaru. _'If Sesshoumaru was to die, then we could take the Shikon Jewel from him. We'll only need a few more afterwards. Once I possess the full Shikon Jewel, I'll become a full demon and this girl's soul will be destroyed. She won't even be able to go to the after live. It will be completely decimated.'_ Just as she smirked, she felt warm tears glide down her cheeks. _'What's this?'_ She wiped her tears away and looked at her wet hands. She couldn't believe she was making such a fool out of herself. _'That girl...she's still somehow aware. How is this possible? She's nothing but a young mortal! How could she still be affecting me?' _

There were also other issues to consider. _'What is Sesshoumaru was successful? He would win, but he and Hikakustu would die. Sesshoumaru would have victory, but nothing would be gained. What's even the point? More importantly, what will happen to me if they both are gone? I'm going to lose everything.'_ It only made her angrier._ 'How could Sesshoumaru do something like this?'_

Suddenly, she did reassure herself. _'Toutousai said has said that he doesn't know that Sesshoumaru will be able to make it work. It's all in theories. He'll never defeat Hikakustu and he most definitely won't do it with his useless Tenseiga.'_ Even with those words thought, she still wasn't too certain. _'Forget it! I must simply tell Lord Hikakustu of what Sesshoumaru is planning.'_

As she continued walking, she could still feel Rin clawing away at her mind. Rin was determined not to let Koibara win, though it did look hopeless on Rin's part. "Give it up girl. You're not strong enough to stand in my way. I'm going to warn Hikakustu of this, and then he'll stop Sesshoumaru in his tracks."

_"You're afraid!"_

"Afraid of what?" Koibara asked herself. "You have no way to defeat me, so just give up. You're pathetic."

_"You're afraid that Lord Sesshoumaru will beat Hikakustu. You know Lord Sesshoumaru is at least smarter and he'll find a way to defeat Hikakustu, but you want to play dirty to make sure Hikakustu will win. You're the one who's pathetic."_

"Just give it up girl. Once Sesshoumaru dies, and believe me when I say that he wills I shall be with Hikakustu. Once we're together, he'll make me a full demon. Then your soul will be destroyed and then I'll be rid of you. You won't even be able to join your lord in Hell. You'll be completely wiped out. You'll be worse than dead!" Koibara thought her victory to be hilarious and she busted into pure laughter. After she was finished, her pure, twisted joy was turned into pain. She could feel her head pounding and Rin clawing away at her soul. Rin wasn't going to go down without a fight. "Stupid girl! It's over!" Rin wasn't about to give up her body though. She held on as much as she could and fought to gain control. Rin couldn't quite take her body back, but she was going to stop her from telling Hikakustu about what Sesshoumaru had planned. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!" Koibara was forced to drop to her knees and she was unable to move. She just kept yelling in agony as she tried to stop the girl from taking her body back.

It seemed like she was fighting forever, but once she finally got the chance, she overcame Rin's influence. It was a little too late though. She had company. "Sesshoumaru?" She turned behind her and saw him and a furious Jaken.

"Rin," Jaken began "how dare you betray Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru hit Jaken on the head, hard. Once Jaken's lump was big enough, Sesshoumaru began to speak. "Are you blind Jaken?" Sesshoumaru was highly frustrated, and Jaken only made things worse. Jaken was always too blind to see. "This is not Rin." His eyes narrowed in on her though. "Although I can clearly see that Rin still has a hold of her."

Koibara became angry at first, but she decided that it was better to simply insult Sesshoumaru. "Do you always come to the rescue with only the slightest bit of screams from this child?" He said nothing to her, which only made her upset. "I'm not afraid of you! Hikakustu will kill you! I know of what you plan to do! You're planning on killing yourself and Hikakustu!"

"What!" Jaken didn't know that and it was terrible news. "Lord Sesshoumaru! Why would you?"

"My objective isn't to die. It's to kill."

Koibara touched her face and felt tears streaming down, even though she was angry. "I'll tell Hikakustu! Then you won't be able to kill him!"

Sesshoumaru didn't take well to her threat. But he wasn't intimidated. "No you won't."

She was surprised by what he had said. "What do you mean, I won't?"

"You aren't going to tell him anything, because you're too weak to overcome a little girl."

She clenched her fists. "Yeah right! I'll tell him and then I'll—" She could no longer speak. She was overcome with tears. "Don't do it..." she said between her sobs. "What will happen to me if both of you die?"

He said nothing at first. He just gazed upon her. He wasn't glaring as usual though. He looked different. He didn't look so cold. "You'll go on," he told her.

A sudden thought came to her mind. "Don't you dare do this for Rin's sake!"

"I'm not," he told her. "Hikakustu is my enemy. I shall once again put him to sleep, but this time it will be forever."

That was true. Sesshoumaru hated Hikakustu. They had a rough history. Hikakustu humiliated Sesshoumaru, and that is probably the only demon that has ever gotten that privilege. Sesshoumaru was going to defeat Hikakustu, even if it meant ending his own life. As long as his enemy died and didn't meet his objective, Sesshoumaru would win. That was all true, but Rin's soul being destroyed by Koibara's was something that Sesshoumaru would not allow, even though he wouldn't really admit it._ 'He's going to make the ultimate sacrifice.' _"Lord Sesshoumaru..."

He started walking away with Jaken following. "Don't get in my way, Koibara."

Jaken felt so horrible following, know that Sesshoumaru was marching right towards death, but he made a promise that he would follow until the very end, and he was going to do that. _'I'll follow, Lord Sesshoumaru! I'll follow you!'_

_'They're leaving,'_ Koibara just fell to the ground. _'They're not coming back either. Neither of them will. I know Lord Sesshoumaru won't stop until Lord Hikakustu is dead.'_ "Goodbye," she whispered silently. "I love you, Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru could pick up what she was saying, but didn't acknowledge it. He had dealt with a human woman that had shared the same emotions as Rin. Even Ziah had the same feelings, but Rin was different than her, and that human woman. Rin was his ward. He saw her a certain way, and not the way Rin was expressing. It was...different.

_'Lord Sesshoumaru is going to be dead because of me. I don't know whether to be happy or cry my eyes out.'_ Nevertheless, it was going to end that day. _'If this is destiny, then I'll see how it all ends.'_

* * *

"I wonder where Koibara is." Hikakustu was waiting impatiently for her return. She was supposed to go and try to kill Sesshoumaru and never came back. _'I know she's still alive. I would know if she was dead.'_ It was unnerving to him. _'I also would know if Sesshoumaru was dead.'_ It was indeed a curiosity. _'What is she doing? More importantly, what is he doing?'_ He was looking ahead into the distance from a mountain peak. _'Everything seems so small from here. I can see it all clearly, but they're all insects to me.'_ He smirked, seeing who was at the bottom of the mountain. "Even you are nothing, Sesshoumaru! You're nothing to me!" It had been fun beating Sesshoumaru before, but now things were different. Sesshoumaru was really starting to bug him. "I've had enough of you Sesshoumaru. You're not even fun anymore. Today is the day I will kill you, and take your mortal and turn her into my woman forever!" He jumped from his peak and on to the ground in front of Sesshoumaru. "You're really bothering me now."

"Hikakustu, this will be the day that you die."

"That' interesting, considering that you haven't been able to defeat me yet. Do you have some kind of miraculous plan that I don't know about? There's no possible way that you could defeat me. You don't have nearly enough power, and you don't have a formidable weapon either. There's no way to win."

"That's interesting, considering that I am going to defeat you."

Hikakustu only chuckled. He couldn't help it. He thought it to be humorous. "If you can actually defeat me Sesshoumaru, than I invite you to do so. I think it would be interesting to see it happen. Please go ahead and try! I'm interested to how you would actually do this. It seems rather impossible."

"Nothing is impossible Hikakustu, especially when it comes to my power and my limits."

"If that's true, than prove it to me."

**To be continued... **


	28. Chapter 28: Eternity

It's been almost six years since I updated this story. I honestly can't tell you why I never finished this one in particular, but I can say that life has had me very busy. I always told myself that once I was eighteen, I would throw fanfiction behind and I did. I started writing original novels and I've completed seven thus far and this year, I'm going to self publish my very first and see where it goes from there. However, it would plague my mind from time to time that I didn't finish _Shattered Innocense_ because of the reviewers.

I did decide to finish writing, but I couldn't for the life of me remember the password to fanfiction or my email. Well, recently I tried every combination I could think of and I finally was able to access my account. I've spent the past few days doing some minor grammar edits and reading over the story (because I couldn't even remember it all) and then I started on the final chapter.

I know it's been a long time coming, but I hope it's well worth it. I hope you all don't despise me too much, but I broke my sacred rule and came back for you guys. It's also giving me some peace of mind as well.

But keep in mind that I started this story way before the series ended and the ending will be very close to my original one, so rules that I created prior may vary from the series end.

But without any further delay, here is the final chapter of _Shattered Innocence_.

Chapter 28

The wind howled and chilled the tears on her face, but she did not feel their frost or hear the screams of the wind. She could sense the battle of two great demonic auras so much that it made her hands shake, but she was oddly calm. She had fallen to her knees and forgotten about the world around her. She would never be able to appreciate the beauty of life or be inspired to compose another song that would speak out her soul. She even pushed Jaken's panicked screams out of her head. There simply wasn't room for it. There was only room for one agonizing thought that grew until it had manifested her whole entire being. "I'm going to lose him," she mumbled.

She completely broke down after she had come to accept that Sesshoumaru was going to sacrifice his life for her's and take Hikakustu's life as well. She didn't understand who she was anymore and it didn't matter. She would be utterly nothing without them.

"Hey!" Jaken waved his arms in the air and ran in front of her face. "You cannot let Sesshoumaru just die! Our Lord is too great!" Jaken began to cry with panic. "What am I to do if left with this half breed maniac?"

Sesshoumaru was too great to die, but to help him meant the end of both demons. If she only assisted Hikakustu, Sesshoumaru would easily fall without having time to implicate his attack. The most logical choice was to help Hikakustu. After all, she was Koibara. Wasn't she?

'_I cannot imagine what a day would be like without him. I don't care that he's killed. He's saved my life. I don't care if he's cold hearted. His heart has been warm towards me. He is the most handsome creature I've ever encountered and he would fight the whole entire world to have me...'_ She realized something then. Sesshoumaru might not have confessed that he loved her, but he must have. Even if he lied to himself about his affections for her, it was still better that she knew. You don't put you life on the line continuously or go out of your way to protect a little girl. Koibara had once suspected Sesshoumaru's feelings, but Rin was able to figure it out and she smiled.

'_I have to save Lord Sesshoumaru,'_ Rin thought.

"_You cannot! What of Lord Hikakustu? He will not listen to reason regarding Sesshoumaru's life, even if I got on my knees and begged for him to be spared. The only way to save him is to somehow defeat Lord Hikakustu and I do not have the strength to accomplish such a thing nor the heart to bear it!"_

"_Then you have to let me take control!"_

"_I will not! This is my body now and I cannot let you hurt the one I love! Besides, you cannot fight. You wouldn't know how to defeat him!"_

"_I will figure it out!"_

"_I will not let you!"_

"_This is my body and I am in love with Lord Sesshoumaru! You love chaos and pain. It doesn't matter if you love Lord Hikakustu. What sort of future would you have together?"_

"_He plans on resurrecting our fallen brethren. We shall have an empire!"_

"_I know what you've done to me and how you've made me hurt people. You will have nothing but ashes! True love creates. It does not destroy! And we shall create life!"_

Rin closed her eyes and imagined the world the way she wished it could be and tears streamed down her face at the image of wandering through Sesshoumaru's lands accompanying her lord. She smiled as she touched her stomach and saw herself cradling her swollen gelly and thought of how she wanted to bless her husband with a powerful son. Sesshoumaru would be anxious for an heir to his legacy, but he demonstrated such affection for their daughter as he carefully watched every step to make sure she would not fall. It was the life that she wanted and wished for so badly that she believed she was prophesying it into existence.

"_That will never happen!"_ Koibara said in their shared mind. _"Sesshoumaru would never allow such a thing. He doesn't see the world that way. He only cares about power and those who are powerful. If he ever chose a bride, it would not be a mortal girl who borrows demonic power from his sworn enemies!"_

"_You're wrong!"_ Rin knew that she was just a child some time ago. He tried not to show that he cared, but he did. He showed much affection towards her, his adoptive daughter. She was not that way anymore and it saddened her greatly, but change could be good if she learned to make the most of it. He began to accept the fact that she was a woman. In his own way, Rin knew that Sesshoumaru loved her deeply. Their circumstances might have been greatly unique, but it only made for a unique kind of love and a potential for an even greater future.

"_You're fooling yourself, girl. He has many prospects, many who were not once raised by him!"_

"_I will have Lord Sesshoumaru!" _Rin had been so shy and hesitant before concerning her feelings towards Sesshoumaru. Suddenly, she couldn't take being that passive. If she didn't learn to fight, she would never have her children and her husband. If she didn't fight, he wouldn't even live to see another day! _"I will have him and I will fight every woman in the world who tries to say otherwise. I will fight him claw and fang until I make him realize the truth!"_

"_And what truth is that?"_ Koibara asked indignantly.

Rin smiled with a peace that swept over her, yet gave her the strength to stand on her own two feet, in charge of her own body. _"That the two of us simply belong together."_

"Rin!" Jaken screamed. "Lord Sesshoumaru is in great danger and it's all because of–"

"–Silence, Jaken!" She commanded him with a grace and only a hint of raising her voice, in the exact same manner that Sesshoumaru would have. "Bring me my sword, Rikoistu."

"But it is broken!"

"Bring me my sword, Master Jaken!" She didn't mean to yell at Jaken, so she calmed herself down before continuing on. "It's the only way."

"It was left behind during the battle with Hikakustu. It's pieces were abandoned."

Rin didn't exactly know what she could do with a broken sword, but she did believe in it's power and the unlocked potential it possessed. "Rikoistu is the sword that my Lord gave to me. I believe in Lord Sesshoumaru so I must believe that he believed in the power he gave to me. He's spent all of this time saving me, well now I'm going to save him!"

"You do not possess the power to save Lord Sesshoumaru!" Jaken yelled offended. "How dare you!"

"Jaken!" She yelled fiercely enough to silence him. "We must find my sword."

'_I do not wish for her to go insane and kill me.' _"Fine! But it's only because I want to prove you wrong!"

She smiled. _'Today, I shall finally save you, Lord Sesshoumaru!'_

* * *

"I must say that I am impressed that you have last quite this long, Sesshoumaru." Hikakustu had attacked Sesshoumaru nonstop with a ferociousness that did not disappoint from his legacy. With every blow, Sesshoumaru was there to counter, but he was not quite fast enough to land a blow on Hikakustu. "Of course you must know that I'm toying with you, boy!"

It did frustrate Sesshoumaru to no end, but he did his best to remain calm and keep a clear head. It was rare that he fought an opponent that could match up against him. It was very rare indeed, but he did not fear his death and nor did he welcome it. One of his goals was to challenge the strongest demons in the world and once he had defeated Hikakustu, he would truly and confidently say that he had surpassed his great and powerful father. "Your end shall be met by my hand, Hikakustu."

"Do you know what's the very first thing I'm going to do when I resurrect my clan?" Hikakustu truly was a twisted character. The thought of blood and destruction empowered and thrilled him in a way that nothing else on the planet ever could. "I'm going to go to the Western Lands and slaughter every single one of your brethren."

Sesshoumaru gripped tighter onto his Tokijin. "You won't live to ever get that far."

Hikakustu pretended like he hadn't heard Sesshoumaru's threat at all. "But the first thing I'm going to do once I kill you, boy, will be to destroy Rin's soul with the Shikon Jewel and to take my woman!"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes in on Hikakustu and charged him as fast as he could.

Hikakustu laughed amused. "Do you truly love this girl?" Hikakustu caught the Tokijin in his hands and began to squeeze it, cracking the blade. "You fight so vigorously to protect her."

"Don't be foolish!" Sesshoumaru denied it, but he couldn't stop his mind from going back to a time when Rin was only a child and the way she would laugh or smile. It was a foolish memory to have in the midst of a battle, and yet it came.

"You are truly pathetic!" Hikakustu was disgusted. He had spent so much time trying to seduce Rin, but only because his lover was inside of her. He hated humans. The only thing that intrigued him was their taste in his mouth when he devoured them. "Humans are nothing. You are nothing for protecting her!"

Sesshoumaru fought to free his sword, but Hikakustu's grip tightened even further and the sword continued to crack. Sesshoumaru forced his own energy through it as an energy attack, but Hikakustu was unscathed. He was barely even flinching.

"Her soul shall be mine!" He licked his lips and cackled and each bit of laughter disgusted Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru's memories again distracted him and he was brought to when she leaned up against him while she slept. He watched her and realized how different she was when in his presence. She had become so frightened of her new demonic nature and her womanly instincts confused her, yet it was all nothing when she was with him. He calmed her completely. It baffled him before, but he suddenly understood. She depended on him because he did always protect her and he intended on doing so. Even when he had slain her, it was in her best interest. She was troublesome, but her soul didn't deserve to be devoured by someone like Hikakustu. She might have been a mortal borrowing demonic energy, but she was worth more than many demons. Her life had proven to be worth more than most everyone he knew. After all, she listened to him and respected him. She understood his greatness and often praised him. He didn't need a traveling companion, but her company was much more satisfying than others would be.

No. He couldn't let someone like Hikakustu destroy Rin's soul. Hikakustu did not deserve to exist and neither did Koibara. If that meant that he would have to risk his life to defeat his foe, then he would do it. If that meant that he'd have to destroy Naraku, Inuyasha, and everyone else who valued the Shikon Jewel to obtain it, then he would simply have to do it. Finally, he would admit to himself that he would protect Rin from the threat of the Eouros.

But the one thing Sesshoumaru could not do was die for Rin, because the great and powerful Lord Sesshoumaru had no intention of dying. "You will perish!"

Sesshoumaru's Dragon Strike began to brilliantly flash in Hikakustu's hand. At first he tried to smirk and laugh at what he thought was another one of Sesshoumaru's pitiful attempts to attack him. Then, his hand began to smoke and he gritted his teeth. _'Where is this power coming from?'_

'_Hold on you fool and lose your arm!' _"Dragon Strike!"

Hikakustu was brave and brash and could afford to be foolish because of his strength, but pain was very foreign to him and he was not foolish enough to continue establishing his dominance at the cost of his own limbs. He grunted in pain and pulled away from the sword, but not before snapping it in two.

Sesshoumaru's attack weaned and he discarded his sword. _'Just as I thought. My Tokijin was not strong enough to hold up against Hikakustu.' _He drew his Tenseiga, having no other options left.

Hikakustu looked at his burned and bloodied hand and arm. It was cut up significantly and streaming with blood. He had forgotten what pain had felt like. He knew it's scent and it's array like the way he would coat blood on a battlefield like a vibrant painting. It wasn't as fun on his end, but it was at least a little bit more exciting. "I'm extremely interested in what you'll do now, considering that you do not have a weapon to fight me with."

"My Tenseiga will do just fine."

Hikakustu threw his head back and laughed hardily. "Just because you managed to injure me does not mean you stand a fighting chance."

"There was never any chance, Hikakustu. Only your demise."

'_He's either gone completely insane or is in a mood to die. Either way, I'm pleased.' _"I'll even let you shoot me, boy. Do your worst!"

'_The fool!' _Sesshoumaru began to concentrate. It was true that the Tensiega was crafted in order to be a sword of healing, but there was another way. _'It is Tensiega's will that I keep Rin alive. Tensiega will allow me to do what I have to in order to save her life and soul, but it will take a price.' _Surely Rin's life wasn't more valuable than his, but he could not allow Hikakustu to prevail as the strongest demon in the world.

'_It is my destiny to be the strongest. I shall prevail!'_

Hikakustu foolishly laughed to himself as he waited for Sesshoumaru to embarrass himself. "What do you expect to do with a sword that cannot cut?"

'_Tensiega, you can recall a soul after the body has been destroyed. You who has power over the soul shall remove Hikakustu's from his own body. All you require for the task is the proper amount of energy.'_

* * *

"Have you found it yet, Master Jaken?" Rin was frantic while looking for the pieces of her sword that she overturned every stone and stick, yet continuously overlooked everything.

Jaken's panicked behavior had him fumbling about, but he calmed himself down. "I can find it!" He slammed the Staff of Two Heads into the ground three times and the staff began to float.

Rin gasped. "The staff will lead us to the sword?" The eyes of the old man began to glow bright red and began to move in closer towards Rin. "What does it mean?"

Jaken followed the staff and moved behind Rin and climbed on top of a boulder sitting behind her. "Ah! Rin, you insolent fool!" He jumped down and grabbed the handle of the sword and lifted it up into the air. "Your sword is right in front of your eyes!"

Rin bowed her head three to five times. "I'm so sorry, Master Jaken!"

"Foolish girl!" Jaken would have continued yelling if he had not burst into a set of flames. "Ah!" He began running around screaming while Rin looked on bewildered.

"The sword is broken, yet it's barrier still works." She quickly caught Jaken–who was too frantic to drop the sword–and pulled it out of his hands. He began rolling on the ground to put the flames out while Rin observed it more closely. _'I don't have much time. I don't know what I can do with this, but I do believe in Lord Sesshoumaru!'_ "We should find the other piece."

Jaken had put out the flames, but he was a toasty crisp, unable to speak.

"I don't have time to wait for you to get better." Rin did feel bad about it, but she ran to Ah-Un and climbed on his back. "Lord Sesshoumaru and I will come back for you, Master Jaken!" She tapped on Ah-Un and journeyed away without another thought towards Jaken.

'_Wretched girl...'_

* * *

Hikakustu still laughed cruelly as he watched Sesshoumaru hold his worthless sword. It sparked a few times from Sesshoumaru's energy, but Hikakustu did not fear it. There was no smell of death on the sword and Hikakustu was not a creature from another world. _'He's delusional!'_

"Do you recall when you daddy had to come and save you from me?" he mocked. "Who will save you now, boy?"

Sesshoumaru did recall that time. It was one of his few defeats, but he was only a child at the time. His father held nothing against him. When his father took him home to recuperate, his mother pretended not to care, but she spoiled him rotten and the servants tended to his wounds while she watched over him. It annoyed him. He was already embarrassed from his defeat. When his father confronted him in his room later, he thought he was going to be scolded.

"_Are you alright, Sesshoumaru?"_

"_I'm fine!" He tried not to look at his father because of his shame, but he was upset with him and crossed his arms stubbornly. "I could have taken Hikakustu and his wench on my own."_

"_Don't be so naive about your powers, son."_

_Sesshoumaru wasn't naive, so he didn't argue about his lack of power. It frustrated him having such a magnificently powerful father while still being so small and weak himself. It would be so long until he would be strong enough to take someone like Hikakustu, let alone his father. "Well, one day I'll be powerful enough to defeat any demon, even you!"_

"_Even me?" He laughed playfully, but with no disrespect meant towards his son. "Yes, I believe so, Sesshoumaru. You will have to challenge me one day when you believe yourself to be ready."_

_Sesshoumaru looked confused. "And this doesn't anger you, that I want to be stronger?"_

_Inutashio joined his son's side and placed his hand on his shoulder. That gesture alone ached Sesshoumaru's wounds, but it amused Inutashio how Sesshoumaru fought through his pain to appear invincible. "Every father must prepare his son to someday surpass him. It's the greatest legacy he can achieve. One day, you shall have a son and shall feel the same."_

"_I'm not sure about that." He didn't doubt his father's wisdom, but he understood himself. "I want to be the strongest demon that ever lived!"_

_Inutashio could relate. His son was so much like his mother, but they shared the love of battle and a thirst for power. He could never doubt his son for his ambitions. He admired him greatly for it. "I used to feel the same way and I haven't faced a demon yet that could match me, but do you know what I've discovered?"_

"_What?"_

"_There's more to power than strength."_

_Sesshoumaru valued his father's words and his wisdom, but he hated when he wrapped himself up in mysteries. It took him such a long time to figure out what he ever meant. He tried, but he had to ask, "What do you mean?"_

_He smiled. "That's something I'd like for you to figure out on your own, Sesshoumaru. I'm certain that you will be wise enough to find the answers."_

"There's more to power than strength," Sesshoumaru said aloud.

Hikakustu heard, but he didn't understand. "Only a fool would say that!"

Sesshoumaru still didn't quite understand, but he was beginning to. "Perish!" Sesshoumaru slashed his sword forward and a bright light of blue energy swept across the land. It did not disturb one rock, one tree, or disrupt the current of the wind all too greatly. Hikakustu was going to openly mock his attack before it reached him, but then it did and he fell to the ground with his eyes completely dark.

"I think I see him." Rin said while approaching the battlefield. She gasped once she saw Hikakustu lying on the ground. "He did it?" Her heart was overjoyed and she clung Sesshoumaru's sword across her chest since she knew he would not allow him to hold her. "My Lord Sesshoumaru has prevailed!"

Sesshoumaru heard familiar laughter and looked up into the sky. For some reason, he knew that it was somehow Rin and he smiled. It was rare for him to smile, but death seemed like quite the fantastic occasion for someone as grand as Lord Sesshoumaru.

"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin saw her beloved fall and she began to cry out desperately. "Please don't die. Please!" Ah-Un flew as fast as he could towards his master, but Rin could not wait another moment and jumped off of the monster before he could reach the ground.

_'__He couldn't have died for me! I was supposed to protect him. He was supposed to live!'_ She got to his side and fell onto her knees quickly enough to skin them and rip her kimono. She never thought the day would come when she would approach his lifeless body. "You can't be dead..."

She was supposed to die first. She was the mortal. All she thought would be left of her was a memory. She never thought she'd have to carry one of him in her heart until she passed on. "Lord Sesshoumaru..."

Her tears overwhelmed her and she broke down on his chest. She couldn't hear his heartbeat and it devastated her. She had foolishly convinced herself that her dreams with him would one day come true. She wanted to bear his children. She wanted him to hold her with such undeniable affection. She wanted to live at least one thousand years by his side and watch his dreams of strength and power be fulfilled the way he fulfilled her.

"I didn't want you to die without admitting that you loved me." She raised her head up and stared at his handsome face. It would be a waste if he never loved anyone. It would be a complete waste! Why shouldn't he say those words to her? Who else did he protect day after day? Who else had he sacrificed his life for? Whether or not Sesshoumaru wanted to admit it, he did start his war on Naraku after she was abducted. "You can't convince me of anything else, even if you're dead."

She smiled beautifully as her tears fell onto his cheeks. "Ever since I grew up, I think all I've wanted to do was know what your lips tasted like." She blushed. "I'm not a little girl. I'm a young woman and cannot deny my feelings for the demon that I love."

She closed her eyes and tasted his lips. There was still warmth to them, such incredible warmth. It was bittersweet. It wasn't quite what she wanted because he was still gone. "Thank you for freeing me from Hikakustu, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Not quite!"

She gasped and rose to her feet stunned. She was too frightened to turn around at first. She gripped onto Rikoistu "It can't be."

"Oh, but it is!"

She took a deep breath and faced the all powerful and angry Hikakustu. "How is this possible? He wouldn't have died for nothing!"

"He was always going to die for nothing! That coward had to rely on a trick and tried to force my soul out of my own body. I was strong enough to piece myself back together. Unfortunately for Sesshoumaru, he is not and never will be as impressive as I am."

_'__Then there's a chance?'_ "Stay away from me!"

"Why are you not Koibara? Why are you this human child?"

"Because this 'human child' was strong enough to overcome her completely. I'm in charge so you had better get used to it!"

"A human is stronger than my Koibara?" he asked angrily. "Then I suppose I'll have to part ways with Koibara and destroy you both now."

Rin gasped as she felt something inside of her soul ache. _'Koibara is aware...' _"You would kill her after all that trouble to have her?"

"Every powerful person needs a son. She was the strongest female among my people and we had our fun together. Her life doesn't mean anything if she can't overcome a human girl!"

Tears began to flow from her eyes, even though she did not feel sad for Koibara. It seeped out of her as Koibara realized how unworthy of adoration he truly was. "And you don't care for an heir?"

"Why should I? I don't need some spoiled brat slowing me down and it's clear that I will be immortal. No one is stronger than me."

Then Rin began to feel Koibara's rage and she gripped onto her sword even tighter. _'I hear you, Koibara.' _

The remains of the sword began to pulse into her hand and her own heart began to beat faster. _'What is this power?'_ She held up the sword as it was engulfed in a light brighter than that of the sun. Rin closed her eyes, but she could feel the energy emitting from the sword and it's weight dramatically increasing. When she was able to open her eyes again, the sword was once again whole. _'Lord Sesshoumaru's will lives on, even though he is dead.'_

That alone gave Rin the power and the courage to face Hikakustu. "My Lord gave me this sword to protect myself. I believe in his will and you will not have me!" Rin did not know how to tap into all of her power, but she could feel Koibara inside of her guiding her as she tapped into all that she had and aimed it within Rikoistu. _'He will keep me safe!'_

"Die!" Rin slashed her sword forward with all of her might and an unexpected wave of power released from her body and the sword. She instantly turned into a human and dropped to her knees before the magnificent attack arrived to Hikakustu. There were colors so bright that she couldn't have imagine them all within her wildest dreams. The power was so grand as it ripped through everything in it's path just to reach Hikakustu.

Hikakustu should have braced himself, but there was no time after he got over his shock of a broken sword magically becoming whole again and spewing forth in multiple hurricanes. He put up a barrier, but it pierced right through as if it were a leaf and he was once again introduced to pain.

Rin lost sight of Hikakustu's body due to the smoke and ashes. She thought of what she told Koibara, but her love for Sesshoumaru didn't just leave destruction. The energy left by his sword began to rain down glorious blue lights of energy, as if a million fireflies came to comfort her in the time of her grieving. She clasped her sword to her chest and felt the warmth all around her and could not help but cry and smile. _'This is the love that my Lord has for me.'_

She couldn't even be overcome with sadness, because she knew the power behind what they had. His will to protect her was far too great to complain about. Surely she would miss him, but she had never felt his presence so strongly than as she did then and she was somehow at peace.

"I will wait for you on my own..." She began to sing, but her tears made it practically impossible. Still, she pushed through and continued. "I will wait for you on my own. Please return to me, waiting all alone."

There was a pulse, like a strong heartbeat. Even Rin's dull human ears could hear it. She opened her eyes and turned around on her hands and knees, but still couldn't see anything through the dust and the wonderful lights. "Lord Sesshoumaru?"

The Tensiega pulsed again in Sesshoumaru's cold hand. It pulsed again and it intertwined with his heartbeat and his eyes flashed open.

"Human!" Hikakustu yelled as the ground around her began to shake. She had enough will to continue fighting, but certainly not the strength. _'Lord Sesshoumaru!'_

The face of a monster appeared into the smoke. It was not the handsome face that seduced her into darkness, but it was a creature with fangs bigger than her entire body and a tongue that slithered out almost like a snake. It's body was made up of scales, but they appeared to be harder than any stone she had seen, but it was smooth and shinny like obsidian. His body was shaped much like a serpent, but it was too wide and he possessed wings and limbs. He was far too huge. She could only recognize Hikakustu from his dark red eyes. "I will devour you, human!"

For some reason, she was not afraid. She closed her eyes and cried his name, expecting that he would be there for her. "Lord Sesshoumaru!"

Behind her was an explosion of power and the magnitude of it swept away the dust and the beautiful lights. It had even dried the tears on her face. "Lord Sesshoumaru!"

It was indeed Sesshoumaru. The Tensiega was sheathed, yet there was a beautiful array of power exploded from his missing arm and the shape of a sword engulfed in the light. _'What is this sensation?'_

Sesshoumaru picked up the sound of a cow mooing in the distance and he knew. _'Toutousai? Then that means...'_

He felt something extend and form in the light. Hikakustu was before him, great and powerful in his transformed state. He had never seen it, but he of course was not intimidated. _'Disgusting.'_ He gripped onto the sword in the light with his newly made arm and used his own great power to strike Hikakustu in a splendiferous wave of destruction.

With Hikakustu's great size, it only appeared to scratch the tip of some of his belly. "That's the best you can do, boy?"

But the attack was not over. His body continued to shatter and explode and no matter how Hikakustu braced himself, it would not stop from extending. "What?"

Even Sesshoumaru was a bit surprised with his new power, but Rin was not. _'Sesshoumaru does not stop fighting until his enemies are completely destroyed. It's only fitting that he would create a sword that would attack in the very same manner.'_

Rin smiled as she watched Hikakustu, the man who had haunted her dreams and tormented her soul, scream and break apart. There was nothing he could do. It was all over.

She didn't know what the final explosion would be like, so she found what little strength she had to run away, but she was too weak and began to stumble. It was a good thing that Lord Sesshoumaru was there to catch her as she stumbled right into his arms.

Hikakustu let out an agonizing scream and his body released a wave of pure energy as his body was destroyed. The Tensiega put up a barrier quick and strong enough to protect the both of them, since they were not worried at all. Rin was so happy to have him hold her in his arm and to stare into his eyes. _'He doesn't have to ever say it, because I know.'_

Sesshoumaru thought there was a significant chance that he might not be able to see Rin again. _'She survived.'_

The two of them observed each other for a little while until the dawn of the day broke through the destruction and poured the hope of a new day on the both of them. "Can you stand, Rin?"

"I believe so." She tried to apply pressure on her legs, but she began to fall over again. His arms were there to catch her again and she did her best not to blush.

"Ah-Un," Sesshoumaru called. He emerged from the sky and came to Rin's side. Sesshoumaru lifted her up like a true gentleman and placed her on the creature.

"Thank you, my lord."

Toutousai's faithful cow began mooing again to let them know of their arrival and he landed in front of Sesshoumaru. "It's finally appeared. The Bakusaiga!"

"Bakusaiga?" Rin asked.

"Let me see it, Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru did not question the famous sword smith and gave it to him. "You always had this power inside of you, but you have to believe in it. You had to stand on your own."

"But he often stands on his own," Rin said. "What was so different than all of his other battles?"

Sesshoumaru glanced at Rin and recalled his fathers words. _"There's more to power than strength."_ "I understand."

Toutousai returned Sesshoumaru his sword and turned his sights towards Rin. "And you were able to unlock the full potential of the Rikoistu. It was more powerful than I imagined."

"It was indeed very powerful." Rin smiled.

"Sesshoumaru, you can now truly say that you've surpassed your father."

Sesshoumaru gripped onto his sword. He still wanted to challenge his father in a final battle, but he had a certain peace of mind that he hadn't experienced before. Perhaps it was better that he stop obsessing about his premature death. He hated how his father died, but everyone does have the right to die in their own way. _'But I will have overcome death,'_ he thought.

"Bring Bakusaiga to my home and I shall create a sheath for it." _'Normally I wouldn't want to be so generous towards Sesshoumaru, but he's different than before.'_

Sesshoumaru nodded.

* * *

A week had passed and things were back to the new normal for Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Jaken. They were traveling the countryside looking for Naraku, who must have been significantly weaker without the large fragment of the Shikon Jewel. They had been attacked by random demons more often for possessing the jewel, but it was nothing Sesshoumaru couldn't handle with Bakusaiga and Rin could even take care of with her Rikoistu.

"I am hungry," Rin muttered.

"Jaken," Sesshoumaru said, "go find her some food."

Jaken's mouth dropped, but he quickly picked it back up and nodded before running off. _'That wench has changed Lord Sesshoumaru!'_

Rin chuckled, knowing that Jaken must have been upset. To be fair, she was cleaning Ah-Un. It was good that Sesshoumaru kept things almost fair.

Sesshoumaru didn't mind spending time with Rin. She had learned not to question him so much and she had the upmost respect for him and she didn't say such foolish things herself. She had proven herself to be worthy of a lot of things, perhaps even his company. "Rin."

Rin was surprised that he joined her side. "Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"Has Koibara bothered you since you returned to your demon state?"

"No. I believe she wanted to die with Hikakustu." _'I feel sorry for her. She never truly knew what love was.'_

"Do you still wish to use the power of the full Shikon Jewel to turn into a human?"

"I'm not sure. With Hikakustu and Koibara gone, I'm not in danger of their influence. With your sword, I am able to keep my demonic power in control. Then if I lost all of my demonic power, I wouldn't be able to wield the great sword you entrusted to me."

Sesshoumaru once believed that she would never be able to wield such a sword. She amazed him. "And you were able to wield Rikoistu's true power."

Rin was quite pleased with herself. It wasn't too often that Sesshoumaru was impressed with anyone. "I believed in the power you gave me, my lord. That's how I knew I could survive. Even when you had died, I still felt a peace over me. Because of your fang, I knew there was still someway that we could both make it."

'_She never doubted in my power, even when I appeared defeated by Hikakustu.'_ "Then I suppose you were indeed worthy of my fang."

She blushed fiercely and hid her face as she continued to brush Ah-Un. "My decision to stay a half demon or turn into a full human depends on you, my lord."

"Me?" he asked with a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Yes. It depends on what you would like better..." She was much too embarrassed to look up at him.

Sesshoumaru thought about it. Rin was such a bother, but things were different with her having control of her demonic power. However, if she wished to become a human again, he would want her to do as she pleased. He did like the fact that she always thought of him first. After all, he was her lord. But such a decision belonged to her and he did not want to take that privilege away from her. "Either way, Rin, is fine."

She smiled and turned to face him as she burst full of excitement. "Then I think I will remain a demon. I could fight by your side one day. I could live alongside you and see your empire rise. I could even stay in the Western Lands when you return!"

Sesshoumaru was a bit surprised. "And you plan on staying with me that long?"

"I would stay with you an eternity!" She calmed herself down, feeling silly all of the sudden. "...if you'd have me, my lord."

Sesshoumaru had been battling with himself ever since he defeated Hikakustu. He had been acting as he normally would and she did as well, but he knew things were different and would always be different. After her little outburst, he knew that he did not wish to keep the secret forever. Why should he give himself such a burden? "When you believed that I had died, my energy was exasperated and my consciousness or what you would refer to as a soul was misplaced, but I was never truly dead, Rin. I was never unaware. My presence was still there."

"Oh..." She turned bright pink. _'Oh no!'_ "So you saw me..." _'Kiss you...'_ She turned her face back towards Ah-Un and continued brushing, but she was so nervous that she stroked him much too hard and the creature began to grunt and moan in pain. "I hope you are not too angry with me, my lord."

Sesshoumaru grabbed her hand to stop her from hurting his pet and she somehow found a way to blush even harder. He had never held her hand before and she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad sign. "If it angered me so greatly, you would not be alive, Rin."

At that revelation, she calmed down. If it was such a great problem, then he would have spoken up about it sooner. If it meant absolutely nothing, then he would have never mentioned it. Then Rin recalled that she was not a girl and it was time for her to remind her lord that she was a woman. "And if it were to happen again," she smirked, "would I be punished?"

It was unusual, but the tiniest smile appeared on Sesshoumaru's face. Perhaps he was amused with her. "No. I don't believe so."

"I know how you feel about humans and half breeds. I'm both of the things that you hate and yet–"

"–Silence." He stroked her face, her soft and delicate skin that was still much stronger than it appeared. What she said was true, but Rin had proved herself different. Her scent wasn't as bad as he pretended it to be. He had actually grown quite fond of it. "You are my ward, Rin. If you displeased my sight, I would cast you out."

That pleased her so much, but she remembered her vision of her children and their future. So much would have to happen first. They would have to defeat Naraku, but that was no longer a hard task. She wanted her future and she wanted it now! "And what if I wanted to be more than your ward?"

"Such as?"

She was so nervous that she reverted into a child and shrugged her shoulders instead of admitting the truth. _'Your bride.'_

Sesshoumaru was no fool. She did after all kiss him and admit to loving him. In still some ways she was a child and he was nearly one thousand years old. "You have time to contemplate it, Rin. After all, you did pledge yourself to me for an eternity."

"That I did." She smiled and was so beautiful. Her shattered innocence was regained and he remembered why he saved her life in the first place.

He did save a child and raised her for a little while and he would never forget her as she was, but it was difficult to see her in that light anymore. She was different and he didn't mind it all that much. He could honestly admit to himself that he rather enjoyed the new Rin. _'She is much more useful in this way.'_

Things had indeed been complicated for them, but whatever they were to each other now, they did have an eternity to figure it out.

THE END!

A/N: There you go! I hope you all enjoyed the final chapter. I can't promise that I'll have time to finish my other fanfictions, but I'm glad I did decide to return to this.

If any of you are interested in me contacting you when I publish my first novel, let me know in your review.

Thanks for reading and for always believing!


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